Coca-Cola to discontinue its recycling division

SPOKANE (Scrap Monster): Coca-Cola has announced its decision to shut down its recycling division. The company will partner with outside suppliers to meet its recycling needs. The Coca-Cola group had established recycling division way back in 2007. The division had been in operation for seven years successfully.

According to Coca-Cola, the decision is part of company strategy to restructure its operations. The company in a press release stated that it will enhance its partnerships with suppliers who focus on recycling services. They will work more closely with specialist suppliers to make its packaging more sustainable. Coca-Cola will ensure increased recycled content in their packaging.

“We are restructuring how we procure recyclable materials and will focus on developing our sources of supply,” Coca-Cola spokeswoman Sheree Robinson said Oct. 30.

“Instead of focusing on that area, we have suppliers that we work with. That’s what they do. And working better and more closely aligned with them is the direction we want to head,” Robinson said in a phone interview.

Earlier in 2011, the company had faced operational issues at its recycling plant in Spartanburg, after two years of operation, which resulted in the company selling its stake in the plant. The company is believed to have made huge investments in the PET bottle-to-bottle recycling plant.