THE Coca-Cola Company has congratulated Recycling Partners of Jamaica (RPJ), Wisynco Group Limited, and other stakeholders on the opening of RPJ’s larger collection and processing depot located in Naggo Head, St Catherine.

Officially opened on December 14 the new location enables an increase in the collection and recycling of plastics by nearly 50 per cent above the current figure of 12 million pounds per annum.

“The Coca-Cola Company is thrilled to work with the Wisynco Group and other key stakeholders in support of the expansion of Recycling Partners [of] Jamaica. This aligns with our global goal to collect and recycle a bottle or can for every one we sell by 2030. We highly value RPJ’s commitment to efficient and effective plastics collection and management, which has not only contributed to a cleaner environment but also set a high standard for other organisations in the region — and we are inspired by their dedication,” said Muhammad Abdullah, Coca-Cola’s vice-president of franchise operations for the Caribbean.

Wisynco Group is a founding partner of RPJ and provides governance, technical, and financial contributions. Two of Wisynco’s senior executives — Sean Scott, deputy CEO and Francois Chalifour, director of marketing and business development — sit on the board.

“We are pleased with this new expansion which follows a number of steps taken to broaden the reach of RPJ. As a Coca-Cola partner we are committed to all of our packaging being made of 100 per cent recycled material and are working toward a goal of collecting and recycling a bottle or can for every one we sell by 2030. The long-term vision of RPJ is to ‘close the loop’ by facilitating the conversion of waste plastic into reusable preforms,” Chalifour said.

RPJ collects an average of 30 per cent of all plastic bottles sold into the market by the beverage industry, up from 16 per cent during the previous year. During its last financial year ended March 2023 the organisation collected 6.6 million pounds of plastic bottles and exported 5.4 million pounds. In its current fiscal year RPJ is expected to make payments of more than $600 million to its more than 1,300 independent plastic collectors, 26 third-party truckers, and 155 employees.

Several years ago Wisynco changed the packaging for its popular beverages to bottles comprising 50 per cent less plastic. The company’s multi-pronged approach includes: founding and promoting eco clubs in schools; requiring a recycling plan be in place at sponsored events; conducting a sustained public awareness programme; and training its employees to be advocates for the environment.