Coca-Cola triples support for Keep Australia Beautiful and beverage container recycling grants

Around the nation, 78 local communities have been awarded a Keep Australia Beautiful Beverage Container Recycling Grant - a threefold increase on the 23 grants awarded in 2011.

The Keep Australia Beautiful community grants program, funded by Coca-Cola, is now in its third  year and has seen a major injection of additional funds to help local communities implement initiatives to increase beverage container recycling.

Coca-Cola has provided a significant increase in grant funding for 2012 projects, with $500,000 made available to community groups, councils and schools across Australia for local community projects.

The grants were open to all communities across Australia, with up to $10,000 per applicant available for projects that could demonstrate they would result in a measurable diversion of beverage containers out of landfill through increased recycling in local communities - with a particular focus on out and about areas.

Example initiatives include recycling infrastructure and signage at community events, in sporting or retail venues, shopping strips or education centres - essentially locations where large crowds gather and the provision of recycling infrastructure helps the public place their recycled material in the right bin.

According to Peter McLean, Keep Australia Beautiful National Executive Officer: “The increased funding for 2012 will allow more local communities around the country to play an active role in increasing the recovery and recycling of beverage containers in their local area, help keep them out of landfill and ensure material is recycled and re-used.

“The measurable outcomes that have been achieved by the recipients over the past two years clearly demonstrate how these grants are assisting local communities in becoming more sustainable with their waste management. This benefits both the community and the environment in a positive, results-driven way.”

To date, the Beverage Container Recycling Community Grants Program has resulted in almost $800,000 being distributed through the Keep Australia Beautiful Network to over 125 community groups, councils, schools and other organisations Australia-wide.