Addis Ababa – Three hundred students were hosted by Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) in Ethiopia and the non-governmental organization CIFA (Community Initiatives Facilitation and Assistance) to learn about recycling, reusing and separation of waste. They took part in a question-and-answer session involving environmental issues and displayed their innovative recycling and upcycling projects made out of plastic.
The students from 12 schools took part in a recycling awareness event where they took a pledge to dispose of their waste correctly as well as to form environment clubs in their respective schools after learning how to separate organic and non-organic waste appropriately.
On their way to the event, the students collected and separated the organic and non-organic waste. CCBA wrapped up the event by donating 24 bins to the participating schools.
“At CCBA, we are a proud industry leader in developing increasingly sustainable ways not only to manufacture, distribute and sell our products but also to responsibly collect and recycle PET bottles,” said Nigus Alemu, Public Affairs, Communication, and Sustainability Director at CCBA Ethiopia.
“We use our industry leadership to be part of the solution to achieve our World Without Waste initiative, positive change in the world, and to build a more sustainable future for our planet.
“The Coca-Cola Company and all its bottling partners are leading the industry to help collect for recycling a bottle or can for every one we sell by 2030. We’re working to bring people together to help us collect and recycle.
“Regardless of where it comes from, we want every package to have more than one life,” said Alemu.
“To clean up existing packaging, we’re bringing together industry players by forming a dedicated not-for-profit organization called PETCO Ethiopia and other people together through programmes like beach and river cleanups and other ongoing local activities. To encourage more people to recycle more often, we’re investing to help people understand what to recycle, how to recycle, and where to recycle.
“We also work with local communities, NGOs, our competitors, and our critics to highlight this critical issue.”
“This awareness creation event with school students is a good example of how we can work together to achieve our goal of a world without waste,” said Alemu.
