Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) has announced the collection of 144,000 cases (5.76 million pieces) of recyclable spirits bottles in the 3 months to September, in a new returnable glass collection model. This follows a successful pilot phase at the end of its previous financial year which confirmed that KBL was able to recycle its spirits bottles akin to what the company does with its beer bottles.
The programme, dubbed Project Rudisha, aims to run a sustainable spirits glass collection model, shifting fully from one-way bottle packaging use to a returnable glass model. The plan is in line with the company’s ambition to be sustainable by design as KBL accelerates to a low-carbon world.
KBL decided to expand the programme from the initial six (6) distributors in the pilot phase to twenty-five (25) nationally at the start of its financial year beginning July this year. This expanded phase will potentially create 500 additional jobs, further highlighting the campaign’s contribution to local employment.
All set for Prinsloo 7’s as KBL pumps in Ksh 2 Million
The model involves a meticulous distributor-recollection rigour in which vans delivering KBL products pick 250 ml bottles already assembled in bars. These bottles are then stacked up and transported to Ruaraka where they are sorted, cleaned and sterilized before being refilled with respective liquids at UDV, its spirits making subsidiary.
KBL aims to reduce 5,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, reinforcing its industry position in waste management and the circular This expanded phase will potentially create 500 additional jobs, further highlighting the campaign’s contribution to local employment. Further, KBL aims to reduce 5,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, reinforcing its industry position in waste management and the circular economy.
KBL Managing Director Mark Ocitti said:
“We are rapidly making the shift from one-way glass use to a returnable spirits glass model because it is the right thing to do as we stem value chain emissions which constitute the largest portion of our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
This project is already reducing our water and energy consumption, cut down KBL’s contribution to landfills and lower our cost of doing business. Additionally, it is providing jobs across collection, washing, sorting, and returning of the glass bottles to our production site. Project Rudisha demonstrates our awareness and understanding of the interconnected nature of sustainable practices.”
Encouragingly, the project has achieved a breakage threshold of 1 percent, which demonstrates efficient handling and transportation of the collected bottles. During the pilot phase, a significant environmental impact was achieved by saving 240 tonnes of carbon dioxide, showcasing the campaign’s contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions as part of its 10-year action place, Society 2030: Spirit of Progress.
