COCA-COLA PARTNERS WITH FESTIVAL VENUES TO UNDERTAKE MAJOR RECYCLING project

NEW ORLEANS, July 4, 2008- The Coca-Cola Company in partnership with the Louisiana Coca-Cola Bottling Company, the New Orleans Superdome and the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center announced today plans that will make recycling a reality for visitors at this year’s Essence Music Festival, presented by Coca-Cola.   Louisiana Coca-Cola Bottling Company employees will place Coca-Cola bottle shaped recycling containers on the floors of each venue throughout Essence Festival weekend, July 4-6, 2008.

“Recycling projects are extremely important for helping our nation conserve valuable natural resources and energy, insuring that future generations will have the necessary resources to live comfortably,”  said Ingrid Saunders Jones, senior vice president, Global Community Connections, The Coca-Cola Company.

Patrons can place a variety of plastic and aluminum bottles in the Coca-Cola recycling bins.  After the Essence Music Festival concludes each recycling bin will be delivered to the Louisiana Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Harahan where the empty containers will be sorted and crushed.  The crushed containers will then be transported to separate recycling facilities.  Currently, Phoenix Technologies in Bowling Green, Ohio recycles Coca-Cola’s plastic containers and Novelis in Greensboro, Georgia recycles the aluminum containers. 

“Recycling helps us reduce energy use and improve the environment.  An event the size of the Essence Music Festival provides us with a tremendous opportunity to create recycling opportunities for our festival goers as well as increase our recyclable container volume,” said Tyrone Rousell, community marketing manager, Louisiana Coca-Cola Bottling Company. 

The Essence Music Festival is the second large event this year in the city of New Orleans that the Louisiana Coca-Cola Bottling Company has recycled, and is one of the many recycling efforts that the Company is undertaking to help its parent company, Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc., reach its 2010 goal of a half a million pounds of recycled items.  Earlier in the year, the Company carried out a successful recycling effort at the NBA Jam Session event during NBA All-Star weekend.