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Coca-Cola Recycling Drive Returns for Second Year

The drive, run with Planet Ark, asks Australians to return bottles and cans to earn community funding and prizes.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Philanthropy

Wire collection cage filled with loose clear bottles and aluminum cans on a bare concrete forecourt under flat midday light, with eucalyptus-green hills behind.
Coca-Cola and Planet Ark's Recycling Drive returns for a second year, running November 2 to 9, with refunds from returned bottles and cans funding Australian community groups. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Would you collect and return bottles and cans for a local community group?

Coca-Cola's Recycling Drive returns for a second year in partnership with Planet Ark, running from 2 to 9 November. Participants return eligible bottles and cans through local Container Deposit Schemes, and returns generate refunds that fund chosen community groups.

Why it matters

The initiative aims to encourage Australians to recycle more, recycle better, and keep valuable materials in use. It also channels deposit-scheme refunds toward local community groups.

Four weekly winners will each receive $2,500, and one Give it a Go winner will receive $10,000, while last year's drive drew more than 2,800 community group nominations. Coca-Cola and CCEP have contributed $19 million to Australian not-for-profits since 2002, but the extraction does not say how many containers will be returned this year.

The players

Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola has been made and shared in Australia since 1938, and it runs the drive alongside its recycling partner.

Planet Ark

Planet Ark is an Australian environmental organisation that has partnered with Coca-Cola on recycling programmes since 2019.

The details

Communities nominate a local group through the Coca-Cola Recycling Drive Hub to receive $2,500. Participants can also share an Instagram Reel, tag @CocaColaAU, and use #GiveRecyclingAGo to enter the $10,000 Give it a Go Grant.

Timeline

  1. 2019: Coca-Cola and Planet Ark's partnership began.

  2. 2-9 November 2026: The Coca-Cola Recycling Drive runs, with nominations and returns open.

  3. 9-15 November 2026: National Recycling Week marks its 30th anniversary.

  4. 23 November 2026: Give it a Go Instagram Reel entries open.

Market Landscape

The drive relies on Australian Container Deposit Schemes, where 10-cent refunds on eligible containers are returned to participants and redirected to community groups. It extends those state-run schemes into a corporate-backed fundraising model tied to a 30th National Recycling Week.

Australians who return eligible bottles and cans through local Container Deposit Schemes can help a chosen community group receive funding. Participants can also enter the weekly and Give it a Go prize draws by following the published steps.

The takeaway

Returning eligible bottles and cans through local Container Deposit Schemes is a simple way to raise funds for a community group. Check the drive's entry details before 9 November 2026 to nominate a group.

What happens next

Give it a Go Instagram Reel entries open on 23 November 2026, and the Recycling Drive runs through 9 November 2026.

Further reading

Explore more Philanthropy coverage to see how corporate giving supports community groups across Australia.

More information

Read the Coca-Cola Recycling Drive Hub terms and entry details for full eligibility rules.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Convenienceworldmagazine.

Live Poll

Would you collect and return bottles and cans for a local community group?