POŽAREVAC AND VALJEVO GET 8 SOCIAL BUSINESSES FOR PACKAGING WASTE COLLECTION FROM HOUSEHOLDS
With support of the city administrations of Požarevac and Valjevo, Coca-Cola HBC Serbia as the project initiator and Sekopak, the “Neighbours Help One Another by Disposing of Packaging Waste!” project was launched. Eight social companies have been set up within the project for collecting packaging waste from households in these cities. The project defines the “door-to-door” approach to PET and can collection in the next three years.
The project execution starts in Požarevac, where the Memorandum on Cooperation has been signed by Bane Spasović, Požarevac Mayor, and Svetoslav Atanasov, Coca-Cola HBC Serbia GM. The City of Valjevo will also join the project, which envisages improvements in the area of packaging waste recycling, an increase of a collection rate at a place of origin and facilitation of socially vulnerable categories’ employment. Coca-Cola HBC Serbia provides full financial assistance to the program, combined with expert, mentor and logistics support of Sekopak, in cooperation with local public utility companies and the National Employment Agency.
“As the leader in soft beverages production, we are fully aware of our environmental footprint, especially in regard to packaging waste disposal. This project is significant from both an environmental and social aspect. Požarevac and Valjevo residents will have an opportunity to properly dispose of packaging waste and cleanse their environment, as well as help neighbours from socially vulnerable groups to earn for their survival and dignified life of their families. We kindly invite people to classify packaging waste and thus contribute to a higher recycling rate and support the startups in their city,“ noted Svetoslav Atanasov, Coca-Cola HBC Serbia GM.
“As the largest packaging waste operator, Sekopak finds it very important to participate in such campaigns and help smaller cities raise public awareness about recycling. Targeted campaigns such as this one may significantly contribute to an increase of packaging waste volume designated for recycling. We invite citizens to join the “Neighbours Help One Another by Disposing of Packaging Waste!” campaign and help entrepreneurs collect as much packaging waste as possible,” said Sekopak Secretary General Violeta Belanović Kokir.
All the collected packaging waste will be purchased by Sekopak at market prices. Coca-Cola HBC Serbia will provide a valuable gift for the most successful entrepreneur in collection who reaches defined project objectives – an Iveco Porter truck.