Coca-Cola Beverages Sri Lanka has partnered with the Sri Lankan "circular economy" company Neptune Recyclers in a recycling initiative called "Give Back Life."

The program is two-pronged: one part consists of working to better collect and recycle PET products in Sri Lanka's Western Province, and the other aims to build a floating market amid the fascinating mangrove ecosystem of the Madu River.

Both of these projects will improve collection methods by installing more strategic collection points. There are also training programs on safety and sorting, as well as upgrades and additions of equipment used to weigh and bale recycling.

The Madu River project hopes to increase ecotourism in this unique area that's home to many species designated as "vulnerable" or endangered.

Neptune Recyclers managing director Abdullah Kassim said of the plans, per Lanka Business News: "By aligning innovation with social responsibility, we are demonstrating that environmental and economic progress can go hand in hand." Hopefully, the initiative will increase both plastic recycling and awareness, while also benefiting the Sri Lankan economy.

While this is a step in a positive direction, Coca-Cola has a long way to go to correct its course. In 2022, Break Free From Plastic named the company the No. 1 plastic polluter in the world.

FROM OUR PARTNER

Save $10,000 on solar panels without even sharing your phone number

Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation.

To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.

Watch now: Is this common bathroom item making you sick?

Other beverage companies have made changes to their products to try to reduce plastic use. Starbucks in Japan switched to plant-based biomass plastic straws, and Italian coffee company IMA now uses paper pods.

While Coca-Cola has made small changes, such as the Philadelphia plant that switched from plastic rings to fiber-based ones, it's important to be aware of greenwashing — when companies spin information to look more environmentally responsible.

Coca-Cola has been accused of greenwashing in the past. Also in 2022, environmentalists expressed shock that Coca-Cola sponsored Egypt's COP27 climate summit.

At the time, Emma Priestland from Break Free From Plastic said, per the Guardian: "It's astounding that a company so tied to the fossil fuel industry is allowed to sponsor such a vital climate meeting."