Article

Coca-Cola dispenses recycling center that rewards consumers

Coca-Cola Recycling partnered with Environmental Products Corp. to deploy the self-contained unit that accepts and processes aluminum cans and #1 PET plastic beverage bottles. The center can store up to 65,000 cans and 18,000 bottles. More than 95% of the cans are remade into new cans and put back on shelves in less than 60 days.

December 16, 2010

Consumers will not only feel good about helping the environment when they recycle cans and bottles, but they will also earn rewards when they use Coca-Cola's Reimagine Beverage Containers recycling centers.

The first center opened last month in the parking lot of a Kroger grocery store in Arlington, Texas, and executives are watching carefully to evaluate its success, said Janet Meyers, director of communications for Coca-Cola Recycling LLC.

"Results from the first few days have been positive, although it's far too early to draw any conclusions," Meyers said.

Coca-Cola Recycling partnered with Environmental Products Corp. to deploy the self-contained unit that accepts and processes aluminum cans and No. 1 PET plastic beverage bottles. The center can store up to 65,000 crushed cans and 18,000 bottles. More than 95 percent of the cans are remade into new cans and put back on shelves in less than 60 days. The bottles will either become new bottles or will wind up in other products, including clothing, backpacks and carpet.

The Reimagine center tracks the containers consumers recycle and allows them to earn points. They can trade in those points to make donations to local schools, enter sweepstakes to win prizes or collect rewards, including free or discounted products with area merchants.

The center's sorting capability makes it easy for consumers to recycle, according to the Coca Cola website:

"If a container isn't made of aluminum or PET plastic, it is pushed by a burst of air off the conveyor and into a reject bin. If a container is made of aluminum, it is blown onto a horizontal conveyor and travels to a can crusher. The crushed cans are dropped into a holding bin."

Although the Arlington center is the only one of its kind, plans are in the works for two centers to go up at Kroger sites in the Dallas−Fort Worth area, Meyers said. When those are in place, discussions will begin with other retailers about future placements.

The Reimagine center takes up about four parking spaces, and host stores are responsible for providing power and security. However, they also have an opportunity to market to consumers with on-screen messaging and consumer reward offers.

"Focus group research we've done indicates that a Reimagine center should drive in-store traffic," Meyers said.