Dr. Mladen Stojanović park was the initial location of today's cleanup campaign of the From source to the sea project in the area of Banja Luka. It continued with the cleaning of the banks of Vrbas in the Suturlija Nature Park. This is the second of five clean-up actions planned in 2022, which Coca-Cola is implementing together with partners, non-governmental organizations and institutions at different locations in the country. The aim of the actions is to encourage and promote education and strengthening of citizens' awareness of the importance of responsible disposal of packaging waste.
Coca-Cola in Bosnia and Herzegovina organized the actions in partnership with Konzum in BiH, in cooperation with UG "Ruke", which is the carrier of the activities of the global initiative Let’s do it in BiH, and local non-governmental organizations active in the field of environmental protection. In Banja Luka, the action was coordinated by YC "Zdravo da ste". The project is supported by institutions responsible for these issues, as well as by local communities.
"I want to thank all the volunteers and partners who are here today, because they recognized the value of the From source to the sea project. This joint approach and cleaning action are a confirmation of our determination to continue finding solutions for environmental challenges, and especially that we will help make our Banja Luka even more beautiful after today's cleaning action", said Saša Kukolj, regional sales manager of Coca-Cola HBC B-H Sarajevo, region north.
Last year, more than 500 volunteers took part in actions held in seven cities and municipalities where they collected more than five tons of packaging waste. Raising awareness of the importance of responsible waste management and separate collection of packaging waste, encouraging actions to clean up water and land surfaces, and generally preserving the environment, are the foundations of the From source to the sea project.
In 2022, the From source to the sea project continues with actions to collect packaging and other waste in Mostar (June 21), Zenica (June 24) and in Sarajevo on June 29, in Igman. Coca-Cola in Bosnia and Herzegovina provided instructions and equipment necessary for waste collection, and actions in local communities are coordinated by non-governmental organizations gathered around the same mission - a world without waste.
The project is also supported by the Environmental Protection Fund of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Agency for the Water Area of the Adriatic Sea, PI Vode Srpske, the Municipality of Novo Sarajevo, the City of Sarajevo, and the companies Ekopak and Euro Beta, which will take care of the removal collected waste.
From source to the sea is part of the long-term comprehensive plan World without waste by which Coca-Cola has committed, among other things, to collect and recycle the same amount of bottles and cans as it puts on the market by 2030, and that the share of recycled materials in primary packaging must be at least 50 percent. By 2025, all primary packaging will be fully recyclable. Over the past 10 years, Coca-Cola has reduced the weight of the plastic bottles it produces in its plant by a total of 7%. An innovation in the production facility is a new type of plastic cap which, based on a 26% lighter weight, will contribute to reducing the use of plastic by almost 50 tons in 2022.
