CCBA launches US$1.2M recycling facility in Namibia 

NAMIBIA – Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA), the eighth largest Coca-Cola bottling partner worldwide by revenue, in partnership with Plastic Packaging, has inaugurated a N$24 million (over US$1.2 million) polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flaking plant in Okahandja, Namibia. 

This venture is poised to effectively double the capacity of the country’s sole mechanical recycler of plastic waste. 

The newly established plant signals a transformative phase for Namibia Polymer Recyclers, a subsidiary of Plastic Packaging, as it gears up to elevate its recycling capacity to handle up to 500 tonne per month. 

Tshidi Ramogase, CCBA’s Chief Public Affairs, Communication, and Sustainability Officer, expressed the company’s commitment to driving systemic change through a circular economy for packaging. 

“We are at the forefront of industry efforts to collect and recycle a bottle or can for every one we sell by 2030,” she stated. 

Ramogase emphasized CCBA’s responsibility in addressing the complex plastic waste challenges facing our planet and society, leveraging its scale and reach to achieve sustainability goals and reduce packaging waste. 

She highlighted the collaborative spirit underpinning the establishment of a circular economy, stressing the environmental and economic benefits of recycling. She noted its potential to generate employment and empower the informal waste collection sector. 

The recycling plant specializes in transforming discarded PET beverage bottles into PET flakes with an international market value. 

This process involves sorting, shredding, hot-washing, and drying the flakes, culminating in the production of recycled PET pellets and other end-uses. 

The facility assumes a pivotal role in environmental conservation by diminishing reliance on virgin PET and diverting waste from landfills. 

Ramogase elaborated on CCBA’s steadfast commitment to sustainable practices, citing ongoing investments in infrastructure to enhance recycled PET capacity across its operational regions. 

“These investments not only provide a source of recycled content for our packaging but also stimulate increased collection of empty packages,” she explained. 

“At CCBA, we take pride in leading the industry towards increasingly sustainable methods of production, distribution, and sales,” Ramogase concluded. 

“We utilize our industry leadership to contribute to positive change and pave the way for a more sustainable future for our planet.”

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