Coke: Operations ‘curtailed' at Spartanburg recycling plant but not shut down

Coke recycling

But Coca-Cola says the site has not shut down. Sarah Dearman, sustainability public affairs and communications, supplied Packaging Digest this official statement:

"Due to changes in the business environment, NURRC is restructuring operations at its Spartanburg recycling facility. The facility is not shut down but operations have been curtailed during restructuring and while new equipment is being installed.

"As an investor in NURRC, Coca-Cola is working with URRC, the managing partner, to determine the best next steps. While we cannot discuss specifics, we can assure you this will not impact Coca-Cola's commitment to recovering, recycling and reusing our packaging and to supporting the recycling industry."

According to Plastics News, "Several sources confirmed to Plastics News that NURRC closed the first week in March, that all 50 factory workers were laid off, and that the virtually the entire office staff was laid off two weeks ago." The sources, quoted throughout the article, were not identified.

Opened in January 2009, the world's largest PET bottle-to-bottle recycling plant was to help "close the loop" on packaging. Sandy Douglas, president of Coca-Cola North America, was quoted at that time as saying, "The opening of the Spartanburg plant, coupled with our investment in recycling businesses, programs and a new marketing effort, underscores our belief that our packaging has value and we want it back-both for our own supply chain and to support the myriad of other uses for recycled aluminum and plastic."

Carlos Gutierrez, president of United Resource Recovery Corp. (URRC), also said at the time of the opening that the facility would hopefully "serve as an example of how investing in recycling infrastructure can have both environmental and economic benefits."

However, Plastics News reported that the plant was supposed to help Coke meet the goal of 10 percent recycled content in its PET bottles by 2010—a goal that was missed.

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