SOFT DRINK MANUFACTURERS PARTNER TO MARK WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

Some Dar es Salaam residents take part in collecting used plastic bottles as part of a cleaning up exercise of Coco Beach. Seven soft drink manufacturers under the umbrella of PETCO Tanzania partnered together over the weekend to clean the shores of Coco Beach as part an initiative to mark World Environment Day.

Dar es Salaam - One plastic and six soft drink manufacturers under PETCO Tanzania came together on this year’s World Environment Day for beach cleanup and plastic waste management awareness at Coco-Beach in Dar es Salaam, an event graced by H.E Exaud Kigahe, the Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade.

PETCO Tanzania registered as PET Recycle Company (T) Ltd in March this year will be mainly responsible for collection and recycling of post-consumer PET bottles in Tanzania. The founding members are Coca-Cola Kwanza, Pepsi Tanzania, SILAFRICA Ltd, A-One, Sayona, Nyanza Bottlers and Bonite Bottlers.

Speaking at the day of the event Coca-Cola Kwanza’s Director of Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability, Mr. Salum Nassor congratulated members of PETCO Tanzania for putting their business competition aside and coming together for a good cause. “We are more than pleased to be part of this historic event, our environment and our communities are the center of everything we do. We have seen as demonstrated by recyclers today that these PET bottles can be given second life post consumption, PETCO Tanzania will help us facilitate their collection and recycling”.

On his side, SBC Tanzania (Pepsi) Head of Cooperate Affairs Mr. Foti Gwebe said SBC Tanzania is happy to be one of the founders of PETCO Tanzania as he believes that PETCO Tanzania will help in reducing post-consumer PET bottle products and at the same time be a source of employment to Tanzanians. ‘It is my trust that this is a begging of long journey of partnering among us on environment preservation and sensitize our society on the importance of preserving our environment’, he added.

The Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Hon. Exaud Kigahe said that he is so happy to see competitors coming together for the good cause (environment), something which has a very public interest. He congratulated the seven companies saying that the government is working together with industry owners for the purpose of our country’s economy but also in preserving our country’s environment.