Press release – 5 May, 2013Sydney, Monday 6 May 2013: On the eve of Coca-Cola Amatil’s AGM, Greenpeace has launched a television advertisement skewering the beverage giant’s efforts to sabotage a national ‘cash for containers’ scheme.http://youtu.be/Q7Uxaw6YoRw
“Coca-Cola has relentlessly bullied politicians, spent hundreds of thousands of dollars silencing recycling advocates and taken the Northern Territory (NT) Government to court to crush the Territory’s community-supported scheme,” said Reece Turner, Senior Campaigner at Greenpeace Australia Pacific.
“Behind Coke’s slogans and sunshine, the beverage giant is trashing Australia.”
The crowd-funded ad also seeks to encourage Australians to tell State Premiers to stand up for the environment by supporting a national ‘cash for containers’ scheme.
“Coke’s efforts to crush this scheme are brazen and damaging to the environment.  State premiers must stand up to Coke’s bullying by making their support for an effective ‘cash for containers’ scheme loud and clear.”
“With the support of Australians who want to see the health of our waterways and wildlife put ahead of corporate arrogance, we aim to get this advertisement on television screens across the country.”
Australians use between 13-14 billion drinks containers a year and Clean Up Australia estimates that 45% of the rubbish collected every Clean Up Australia Day is beverage industry-related.  The waste is particularly devastating for Australian marine birds. Scientists say two-thirds are affected by plastic, either becoming entangled, or mistaking it for food.
“Wildlife is needlessly dying with seabirds literally starving on a full stomach”.
“The benefits of recycling refund schemes are well known and we hope people will agree – further delay can’t be stomached,” said Turner.
For more information contact Greenpeace Communications Manager James Lorenz on 0400 376 021