Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Uzbekistan began using recycled food plastic to produce the 1.5 liter Pepsi drink. The content of recycled material in such bottles now reaches 20%.

rPET is a plastic obtained from the recycling of previously used bottles, it replaces virgin material, brings recycled packaging into the secondary cycle and reduces plastic waste.

The introduction of 20% rPET into packaging will reduce the use of virgin, that is, new, plastic by approximately 2,500 tons in 2023. This is what approximately 125 20-ton trucks weigh.

The beverage factories where production was launched belong to IBT (International Beverages Tashkent), a bottler partner of the international company PepsiCo. The widespread use of rPET in various markets is part of PepsiCo’s packaging strategy.

Around the world, the company and its partners are working to ensure that packaging never ends up as waste.

Already, the entire portfolio of PepsiCo drinks in Uzbekistan is presented in bottles made of fully recyclable plastic. This means that all packaging can be used to make new bottles or other useful items. The recycled material fully complies with the requirements for food packaging in terms of quality and safety.

Pepsi is the company’s first product in Uzbekistan to use rPET in its packaging. To implement the project, IBT carried out extensive preparations. Investments in the production of local preforms containing recycled plastic amounted to more than US$3 million. The recycled plastic pellets are produced by a local company supplier in Uzbekistan.

In 2021, PepsiCo adopted the PepsiCo Positive (pep+) strategy and began a global business transformation, changing everything from responsible sourcing of raw materials, more sustainable production and sales of products to consumer engagement and encouraging better food choices for people and the planet.

Silviu Popovic, Chief Executive Officer, PepsiCo Europe: “At PepsiCo, we believe that packaging should never become waste. Any packaging can be recycled, and plastic is one of the most convenient materials that can be reused over and over again. In 2021, PepsiCo announced a strategic transformation of its PepsiCo Positive business and set an ambitious goal to become a completely carbon neutral company by 2040 through various actions, including reducing the use of virgin plastics.”

Shukhrat Ergashev, Director of Strategic Development at IBT: “We have been preparing for the introduction of rPET at our production in Uzbekistan for a long time, and the release of the first drink in packaging containing recycled material is a huge reason for pride. This is the first step towards eliminating virgin plastic in packaging for all our great products in the future, and moving towards building a circular economy for packaging.”

Currently, drinks made from 100% recycled plastic are already available in 26 countries around the world.

Two Pepsi factories in Uzbekistan produce drinks under world famous brands - Pepsi, Rockstar, Mirinda, 7Up, Lipton, Adrenaline Rush and Mountain Dew. Modern enterprises are equipped with 7 production lines. More than 500 employees work at IBT factories and offices. Enterprises use resource-saving practices - reuse water to pasteurize drinks, use a water storage system to save natural resources. IBT has been repeatedly recognized as PepsiCo’s top bottler.