The Coca-Cola Company

Rewarding Consumers Who Recycle

Over the past year, The Coca-Cola Company and The Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Company have partnered with a start-up company called RecycleBank to reward households for recycling. The innovative program has driven recycling rates in Philadelphia from 15 percent to more than 50 percent in its first year alone.

RecycleBank’s innovative operating model aimed at improving community recycling rates is revolutionizing how consumers and businesses think about waste.

Households earn credits known as RecycleBank Dollars each time they recycle. Computer chips embedded in recycling bins scan, weigh and record all deposited materials, and RecycleBank awards credits based on weight. RecycleBank Dollars can be exchanged online or via phone for discounts at stores ranging from national chains like The Home Depot and Starbucks to local businesses and restaurants.

The Coca-Cola Green Community Fund enables consumers to donate their RecycleBank Dollars to charity. The Company matches every donation dollar-for-dollar to support environmental and recycling education in Philadelphia Public Schools and the Philadelphia Public Library.

The initiative benefits all involved parties: municipalities avoid growing waste disposal fees, recycling companies make more money from processing materials, and participating retailers can take advantage of an effective and personal marketing tool that directly connects their brands to an environmentally responsible activity.

RecycleBank has expanded to municipal and subscription programs in New Jersey, Delaware and New England, and is in negotiations with several other cities across the nation. The company is even fielding calls from other countries.