September 2019 saw the launch of two major projects as part of Swire Coca-Cola's commitment to 'Drink Without Waste' – a multi-stakeholder initiative that focuses on reducing waste from beverage consumption. On 25th September, a ground-breaking ceremony was held for Hong Kong's first food-grade plastics recycling facility. Located at the Tuen Mun EcoPark, the facility is a joint venture between Swire Coca-Cola, ALBA Group Asia and Baguio Waste Management & Recycling, and will be operated under the banner of New Life Plastics Limited ("NLP"). It will be able to process around 35,000 metric tonnes of polyethylene terephthalate ("PET") and high-density polyethylene ("HDPE") plastic on an annual basis, 'closing the loop' by turning the waste into reusable raw materials for high-quality consumer and industrial products.
The same month saw the launch of Swire Coca-Cola's new "smart" reverse vending machines that enable customers to dispose of empty recyclable plastic drink bottles of any brand and receive a cash reward. The "Tap, Return & Earn" Beverage Bottles Redemption Scheme, in partnership with Octopus Cards Limited and World Green Organisation, adds a HK$0.2 cash rebate per bottle to the depositor's Octopus stored-value travel card; Octopus is the most extensively-used e-payment platform in Hong Kong.
Information stored in the bottle's barcode is scanned for identification and data analysis before it is compressed and deposited into a receptacle for collection by authorised recyclers. In addition to raising public awareness about municipal waste management, the scheme is expected to help identify the right parameters for a viable beverage packaging recovery, reduction and recycling regime for Hong Kong under the "shared responsibility" concept.
