The campaign is geared at driving the recycling message from primary school level and to spark environmental conversations amongst learners from the participating schools. Recycling is a learning experience and ABI, hopes that with this initiative, students, teachers and parents can learn not only the basics of recycling, but of sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Corporate Affairs manager at ABI, Itumeleng Matlaila commented: “We believe in empowering our children, by involving them from an early age in recycling education. We hope to give them a voice, in the future of the environment they live in.

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), cans and paper are the recyclable materials being collected as part of the primary school programme. Glass has been excluded as it represents a risk of injury for children during collection and storage. A minimum target of 70kg per primary school per month has been set and collection will take place weekly, or as required by the schools. There will be monthly reports summarising the volumes collected and the monthly winners stand a chance to walk away with, R2 500.

Community leaders, headmasters and Project Facilitating teachers of the participating schools at various regions visited the ABI leadership ahead of the campaign. The programme included the sharing of the businesses plans and objectives of the school recycling programme. This was a great opportunity for principals and also community leaders to engage with the ABI leadership. Furthermore, a Manufacturing Plant tour was conducted to give all visitors insights into how the bottling of their favourite beverages works.

The campaign places greater emphasis on the recovery of PET bottles and this is because even though PET is the fastest growing form of packaging, it is difficult to recycle because it is not 100% recyclable, and there are transport challenges. All other packaging forms have high established recovery rates and education needs to be done to ensure that the recovery rate of PET is increased.

The campaign will culminate in an award ceremony to recognise winning schools, share overall performance and targets met or exceeded. Furthermore, the awards will see all involved highlight areas of improvement and ABI will communicate next steps for 2013.

Last year, Bergvliet High School in Cape Town proved that with determination and commitment, schools can collect more than what is expected. The school earns on average a total of R110 000 through waste collection and recycling on an annual basis. The funds are used to compliment the schools funds thus improving the quality of education and learning. Furthermore, Bergvliet came third in the Waste Minimisation category, sponsored by ABI at the Climate Change Leadership Awards and have received numerous accolades in the media.

In the short term ABI hopes to recover at least 50% of the bottles and cans its produces annually by 2015. In order to achieve this goal ABI plans to increase the focus on the reduction, reuse and recycling of waste generated as a result of its production process and product delivered to its customers.

“Over the years the campaign has had huge achievements and growth and we are proud of all participating schools. At ABI, we are encouraged by the resourcefulness, creativity and dedication demonstrated by the schools,” concluded Matlaila.

ABI is the largest distributor of Coca-Cola brands in the Southern Hemisphere, reaching over 71 000 customers, through our distribution network and through the distribution of cans, glass and plastic bottles that Coca-Cola products are packaged in.