Recycling push by beverage companies starts in North Texas

DALLAS (AP) - An initiative from three of America’s biggest beverage companies that aims to improve the recycling and processing of plastic bottles is kicking off in North Texas with an investment of more than $3 million.

The American Beverage Association announced Thursday that the Dallas-Fort Worth area will be the first region to get an investment from the “Every Bottle Back” initiative launched in the fall by Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo and Keurig Dr Pepper.

Efforts in the Dallas-Fort Worth area will include an investment to upgrade a recycling facility with technology that includes optical sorters, distributing educational materials on recycling, a public service campaign and helping fund new pick-up services for housing complexes that don’t currently have them in addition to providing containers and signage in those places.

The American Beverage Association is coordinating the investment of $100 million from Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo and Keurig Dr Pepper for the initiative, which is being distributed through The Recycling Partnership, a Virginia-based nonprofit that works with local governments to improve recycling rates, and Closed Loop Partners, a New York firm that invests in recycling facilities and new research. The World Wildlife Fund will track the companies’ progress.