Protesters gathered outside the Federal Court building on February 19 to oppose moves by Coca-Cola Amatil to overturn recently passed Northern Territory “cash-for-containers” laws. The laws are similar to bottle and plastic container return laws that have operated in South Australia for more than 30 years.
Today, 80% of bottles in SA are recycled, more than double the rate of other states.
Demonstrators displayed a large banner exposing the role of the company, owners of Mount Franklin, Fanta and Coke products, in destroying wildlife and the environment.
“In total, Coke sells almost 2 billion drinks a year… It is estimated over 1 billion of these containers end up as litter or in landfill every year in Australia,” explained a leaflet by the campaign organisers, Boomerang Alliance and Greenpeace.
The previous day, two Greenpeace activists were arrested by police for climbing pillars outside the Coca-Cola Sydney headquarters to display a banner, depicting a dead albatross with its stomach cut open, revealing plastic containers, with the words, “Brought to you by Coca-Cola”.