SOUTH AFRICA – The South African Breweries (SAB) has partnered with Corona brand to launch a new plastic recycling partnership with Ramtsilo to strengthen the local plastic recycling chain and assure a Net Zero Plastic Footprint in South Africa.
Corona, the Mexican originated drink, produced by SAB’s sister company Cervecería Modelo, is the first beverage brand in the world to achieve a Net Zero Plastic Footprint.
The achievement of a Net Zero Plastic Footprint means that Corona recovers more plastic from the environment than it releases into the world and it focuses on redesign efforts to progressively eliminate plastic.
The partnership will see Corona collect and recycle hard-to-recycle plastics in Gauteng and the Free State.
Ramtsilo, a 100% black female-owned company that has created a Circular Green Economy in the Plastic Recycling and Building Material Industry, will facilitate the plastic collection programme.
Also, the organization will provide specialised sensitisation and training among waste pickers, and repurpose these plastics into environmentally-friendly, fire-tested bricks that can be used in households, buildings and roads.
The recently launched initiative falls in line with SAB’s sustainability goal which is to have 100% of its products to be in primary packaging that is returnable or made from majority recycled content by 2025.
“We are really proud of this partnership. SAB Sustainability agenda aims to strengthen and support the local recycling chain, recognizing the importance of local recyclers on the plastic waste fight, maintain resources in usage and away from our environment – preserving it for future generations,” said Josh Hammann, SAB Sustainability Director.
Corona’s aims is to be a sustainability leader in consumer-packaged goods, taking significant steps to help protect the world’s oceans and beaches from marine plastic pollution.
“We have a duty to decrease our impact on this world and I am proud to work for a brand that takes this duty seriously. Of course, none of this would be possible without the aid of our partners.
“Supporting a business in the recycling value chain is exactly how SAB and Corona are contributing to creating a circular economy and taking action to keep plastic out of our communities and environment,” said Thomas Lawrence, South African Corona Marketing Manager.
Further creating a green world, SAB recently inked a Power Purchase Agreement with a Black-Woman Owned industrial scale biogas waste-to-energy company, Bio2Watt.
Following the agreement, South Africa’s largest beer maker will soon be using the manure of over 7 000 cows to power its operations.
The renewable energy will be supplied from the Bio2Watt’s Cape Dairy Biogas Plant once it reaches commercial operation.
Under this Power Purchase Agreement SAB will achieve 23% contracted renewable electricity.
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