Coca-Cola’s Australian arm will use recycled plastic for the packaging of frozen drinks from next year and do away with polystyrene.
Millions of frozen Cokes and Fantas are served at convenience stores each year in plastic that is unable to be re-used and can be hazardous to the environment.
However Coca-Cola Amatil will soon ensure recycled plastic is used, as it did last year for bottles of less than one litre. It also removed plastic straws and stirrers from its line of beverages.
The latest change will reduced the company’s use of virgin plastic by 40,000 tonnes by the end of next year.
Amatil bottles larger than one litre are still made with polystyrene. A spokesman said there was not enough recycled plastic produced in Australia to meet requirements.
While the business also serves other countries in the Asia Pacific region, the frozen drinks decision only applies to Australia.
The Australian arm of Coke has already made news this week after the European division of the business offered to buy its Aussie equivalent.
Management have recommended shareholders accept the offer.
