Because of the collaboration with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PNG (CCEP PNG), residents of Koki village in Port Moresby can now return their PET plastic bottles for recycling. On Tuesday, September 24, the village hosted a unique recycling event organized by Branis Recycling and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PNG (CCEP PNG). Koki village Councilor, Geelong Auma and CCEP have been in communication and held an awareness workshop for the past month, with the goal of encouraging the villagers to save their PET plastic bottles. On Tuesday 24th October, Branis Recycling set up a temporary collection site in the village to collect the material and pay out K1.00 for every kilo of PET plastic bottles received. Tim Solly, the Sales and Commercial Director of CCEP PNG, expressed delight that recycling had come to Koki village. “Last year we launched a PET recycling scheme in Port Moresby and we're now collecting and recycling around 25% of the PET plastic bottles we put into the market in NCD.” “It's important we continue to raise awareness so people know they can earn money by collecting and recycling PET plastic beverage bottles.” “This will increase the amount collected and ensure it is recycled and doesn’t end up in the landfill or in the environment.” “We are encouraging Koki residents and surrounding areas to start collecting PET plastic bottles and earn K1.00 a kilo of material by returning them the nearest Branis Recycling collection point at Hohola collection site, on Spondias street.” Solly says once the bottles have been collected, they are turned into plastic flake, using a granulator at Branis Recycling’s facility, and then exported to Malaysia for recycling. Councilor Auma was ecstatic over this initiative by CCEP. “We are happy that this programme has come to Koki and it’s a great initiative by Coca-Cola to collect the PET plastic bottles that they sell to consumers.” “Being a fast-growing urban village it is crucial for us to keep our village clean and keep plastic out of our waterways and this collection scheme helps our people here.”