KENYA – Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) has announced the collection of 144,000 cases (5.76 million pieces) of recyclable spirits bottles within the three months leading up to September as the company strives to achieve its commitment to sustainability.
This remarkable initiative follows a successful pilot phase conducted at the end of the previous financial year, which affirmed KBL’s capability to reuse spirits bottles, similar to the company’s well-established practice with beer bottles.
The company initiated the “Project Rudisha” to establish a sustainable spirits glass collection model, transitioning from a one-way bottle packaging approach to a returnable glass model.
This project aligns with KBL’s overarching ambition to be environmentally sustainable and adaptable to a low-carbon future.
“We are rapidly making the shift from one-way glass use to a returnable spirits glass model because it is the right thing to do as we stem value chain emissions, which constitute the largest portion of our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,” emphasized Mark Ocitti, Managing Director at KBL.
KBL introduced this strategic initiative not only to curb greenhouse gas emissions but also to reduce water and energy consumption, minimize KBL’s contribution to landfills, and ultimately decrease operational costs.
This initiative involves a rigorous distributor-recollection process, whereby vans that deliver KBL products collect the 250 ml bottles from bars, which are then transported to their Ruaraka facility.
At the facility, the bottles undergo meticulous sorting, cleaning, and sterilization processes before being refilled with their respective spirits at UDV, KBL’s spirits-making subsidiary.
During the pilot phase, the project contributed significantly to environmental sustainability by saving a remarkable 240 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
This is part of KBL’s campaign to reduce greenhouse gas emissions amounting to 5,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide in 10 years, further solidifying its position as an industry leader in waste management and the circular economy.
Since July this year, the company has upscaled the project from the initial six distributors in the pilot phase to a total of twenty-five distributors nationwide.
KBL is hopeful that the initiative will create 500 additional jobs, highlighting the campaign’s significant contribution to local employment opportunities.
