How Coca-Cola Consolidated is driving sustainability in Nashville

Coca-Cola Consolidated, the largest Coca-Cola bottler in the U.S., is working to make recycling and sustainability efforts more effective in Nashville.

Why it's important: Recycling plays a crucial role in reducing waste, conserving resources and fostering healthier communities.

♻️What you need to know: Through its Refresh. Recycle. Renew. initiative, Coca-Cola Consolidated is building a more sustainable future by working with climate-conscious companies to help support circular economies.

• Across its 14-state territory, the company is supporting closed-loop recycling solutions and expanding access to recycling infrastructure in collaboration with universities, sporting and event venues, businesses and communities.
• These efforts are already paying off. In 2024, Coca-Cola Consolidated collected more than 974 million plastic bottles through its partnership with Circular Solutions Advisors.

📍The impact: In Nashville, the company the company teamed up with some of the city's major sports venues to make it easier for residents and visitors to recycle.

• 🏈 At Nissan Stadium, Coca-Cola Consolidated and the Tennessee Titans partnered to introduce SmartSort technology — a patented AI-powered system that helps educate fans on which items are recyclable, reducing waste and improving recycling at venues.
• ⚽ At GEODIS Park, home of the Nashville Soccer Club, Coca-Cola Consolidated conducted a Recycling Valuation Assessment (RVA) to evaluate the stadium's recycling program and make recommendations for improvement. The company also helped organize a Green Game where fans received prizes for recycling.

🎢Plus, plus, plus: Dollywood works with Coca-Cola Consolidated to improve recycling at its facility and preserve the park's natural beauty. One of the park's biggest challenges is separating the different types of plastic bottles left behind by Dollywood's three million annual visitors.

The solution: Coca-Cola Consolidated helped tackle this issue by donating a custom sorting table to separate recyclables.

• Once sorted, recyclable bottles are compacted into 700-pound cubes by a special machine.
• The company's sustainability team also collaborates with Dollywood to explore new waste reduction methods.

Worth a mention: Coca-Cola Consolidated is also leading the way in sustainable packaging innovation.

The company made three big changes to its bottle design to improve sustainability by reducing plastic waste and carbon emissions:

• All 20 oz bottles are now 100% recycled plastic (rPET).
• A new Harmony design that uses less plastic per bottle.
• A lightweight Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) material to reduce plastic in its 20 oz, 500 ML and 12 oz products.

The proof: Coca-Cola Consolidated's shift from its iconic green plastic Sprite bottles to a clear design in 2022 has made it simpler to recycle these bottles into new ones.

Here's what else: The company is finding innovative ways to reduce its environmental impact,including implementing water efficiency measures at 100% of its manufacturing facilities and donating and converting 55-gallon syrup drums into rain barrels.

Looking ahead: Coca-Cola Consolidated is committed to protecting and preserving what matters most — reducing emissions, conserving water and ensuring that every bottle and can is designed to be remade.

Learn more.