WILLEMSTAD – Following the recent discussion about the future of colored PET bottles on Curaçao, the Curaçao Beverage Bottling Company (CBBC), producer of Coca-Cola products on the island, has provided support to Green Force to facilitate a final export shipment of this difficult-to-recycle material.
Earlier this year, Green Force announced its intention to stop accepting colored PET bottles because processing and exporting them had become no longer economically viable. In response, CBBC immediately contacted Green Force to explore possible solutions.
Thanks to this collaboration, a full 40-foot container carrying approximately 720,900 colored PET bottles was successfully exported. This is expected to be the last large-scale export of colored PET bottles from Curaçao.
For many years, CBBC has financed the transportation costs of containers filled with recycled plastic exported by Green Force. Because this specific stream of colored plastic has little economic value and virtually no buyers, CBBC made a one-time contribution toward operational costs to enable the collection and export of this final shipment.
This support aligns with CBBC’s broader sustainability strategy, in which recycling, the use of recycled materials, and collaboration within the circular economy have played an important role for many years.
“A circular economy cannot be built alone. Businesses, recyclers, government, and consumers all have a role to play. We are proud that together with Green Force we were able to make this export possible, but even more importantly, we remain committed to working on long-term solutions that make recycling in Curaçao simpler and more effective,” said Myrthe George-Verhulst, Manager of Public Affairs, Communications & Sustainability at CBBC.
Broad Commitment to Sustainability
The support for this export is part of a broader sustainability effort. CBBC has been investing in a variety of initiatives aimed at contributing to a more sustainable Curaçao.
All water used during CBBC’s production process is collected, treated at Hofi Klein Kwartier, and then reused to irrigate green areas around Punda.
In addition, 50 percent of all locally produced PET bottles are made from recycled plastic (rPET), resulting in significant annual savings in the use of virgin plastic materials.
CBBC also supports the continued development of Curaçao’s recycling infrastructure by contributing to the export of collected plastic and by collaborating with organizations dedicated to waste collection and recycling.
Furthermore, the company has provided financial support for the establishment of several recycling centers across the island, making it easier for residents to dispose of recyclable materials.
Beyond these practical initiatives, CBBC actively promotes environmental awareness and behavioral change. The company supports the Curaçao Clean Up Foundation through expertise, knowledge sharing, and collaboration in cleanup campaigns, educational activities, and recycling initiatives.
Moving Toward More Recyclable Packaging
The export of this final container also highlights an important challenge: colored PET bottles are significantly more difficult to process within the current recycling chain than transparent or light-blue PET bottles.
Several years ago, Coca-Cola discontinued the production of Sprite in its iconic green bottle and switched to transparent packaging, which is more easily recyclable. Similarly, Coco Rico will transition to a transparent bottle once existing packaging inventories have been phased out, further improving recyclability.
CBBC emphasized that only through cooperation between government, businesses, recyclers, and consumers can Curaçao continue building a circular economy in which valuable materials remain in use and less waste ends up in the landfill.