By Our Reporter
Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA), through its subsidiary company, Plastic Recycling Industries (PRI), is intensifying efforts to clean up the environment by expanding its plastic waste collection operations across the country.
This was disclosed by Simon Kaheru, the CCBA Director for Public Affairs and Communication while speaking in a brief media interview after the MTN Kampala Marathon at the Kololo ceremonial grounds on Sunday.
Kaheru revealed their plans to increase the tonnes of plastic waste being collected from the community, noting that they have since started signing partnerships with different collectors across the country towards this end.
“Next year, we are increasing the number of tonnes we are collecting,” he stated. “We have just signed a partnership with a new collector in Masaka and we are also getting another collector in Mbarara.”
“We want to grow countrywide so that we are collecting as much plastic as possible out of society which will then be recycled and converted it into usable value.” He added.
He further said that early this month they installed a Hydraulic Baling Press Machine valued at Ugx 91 Million aimed at boosting the capacity of their recycling plant in Nakawa and in turn increase the quantity of waste plastics being taken out of the local communities.
Meanwhile, their commitment to rid the environment of plastic waste was visible at the marathon, where they were one of the main sponsors through Rwenzori Mineral water, another CCBA subsidiary. Besides hydrating participants in the marathon, they also deployed plastic bottle collectors at different points along the marathon routes to ensure that all the waste bottles from the marathon are taken out of the community.
“We as Coca-Cola Beverages Africa Uganda are excited to once again hydrate all MTN Marathon participants with our brand- Rwenzori Natural Mineral Water. We are further excited about the fact that we are linking the 2017 edition with environmental stewardship,” said Kaheru about their cleaning up efforts.