(Plastemart) -- Coca-Cola South Africa has announced the opening of its new Valpre plant and the introduction of PlantBottle packaging to Africa. The new state-of-the-art facility will fill Valpre Spring Water in Heidelberg, southeast of Johannesburg. Selected for its close proximity to markets and distribution sites in the Guateng Region and a similar source water profile as Valpre's, the new plant will help Coca-Cola South Africa meet the needs of the increasing demand for bottled water in the country.
The new Valpre plant is undergoing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification -- an internationally recognized program that is the accepted benchmark for design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. The design of facility maximizes recycled materials and makes optimal use of water and solar energy. It has a "zero to landfill" target.
The Company launched Coca-Cola's innovative PlantBottle packaging. This packaging has revolutionized the beverage industry as the first-ever recyclable PET plastic beverage bottle made from up to 30% plant that is 100% recyclable. This is the 10th market to launch the bottle in the world and the first in Africa. PlantBottle packaging has a lighter footprint on the environment due to its reduced dependence on nonrenewables such as petroleum.