Visitors to Merlin Entertainment’s attractions around the UK, including Legoland Windsor and Alton Towers, will be offered prizes this summer in exchange for recycling 500ml plastic bottles on site as part of a continued collaboration with Coca-Cola.
The theme park operator announced today its recycling initiative with Coca-Cola is to run across all its major sites in the UK for the third year running.
Through the scheme visitors are offered prizes for recycling empty plastic bottles using specifically designed reverse vending machines installed at Merlin’s attractions.
This year the company said its prizes are “bigger and better” than ever before, with rewards for recycling including a VIP behind-the-scenes tour of its Legend of the Trebuchet attraction and a private history tour at Warwick Castle, a Royal Box experience at the Blackpool Tower Circus, and a chance to conquer the 127ft climb at one of the UK’s tallest rollercoasters, The Swarm at Thorpe Park.
Visitors can take part in the recycling initiative this summer between 1st July and 6th September where Merlin said the recycling vending machines will be available across 11 of its sites including Alton Towers, Legoland Windsor, Thorpe Park, Chessington World of Adventures, Warwick Castle, Sea Life aquariums in Blackpool, Birmingham, Brighton and London, The Blackpool Tower, and Legoland Discovery centre Birmingham.
This year Merlin said it is given its recycling vending machines a “vibrant new look to make them really stand out”. In addition, it said it has installed four extra machines across several attractions since last year to make them easier for guests to find.
Guests will also be able to find the machines on attraction maps as well as individual site apps. Once they have recycled their bottles, they can enter competitions through the website using the receipt from their bottle recycling, the company explained.
The reverse vending machines are similar to those that would have been rolled out had the government delivered on its 2019 manifesto promise to launch a nationwide Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). However, the plans were watered down to cover a smaller range of materials and were subject to repeated delays, with the Westminster government at odds with devolved administrations over how the scheme should work.
Coca-Cola said it has been a “long-term advocate of well-designed Deposit Return Schemes” that can boost the recycling of drinks containers and reduce litter.
Together with its bottler, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, the drinks giant said it has “been working with peers in the industry, governments, and NGOs for many years to call for an interoperable DRS”.
Elodie Peribere, marketing director at Coca-Cola Great Britain, said as a business it shares Merlin’s “passion for entertainment, and goals for sustainability.”
“Throughout the summer, guests at Merlin attractions will be able to recycle their plastic bottles using our reverse vending machines,” she added. “We’re excited that, as well as being in with the chance to win some incredible VIP experiences, they’ll be helping us with our goal to recycle the equivalent of every can and bottle we produce.”
Dare Ilori, group sustainability director at Merlin, said: “Plastic waste is a pressing environmental issue, and at Merlin, we are dedicated to raising awareness, and implementing effective and measurable solutions. Partnering with Coca-Cola for the third consecutive year on this impactful initiative, we are proud to inspire and educate our guests on the importance of reducing, returning and recycling plastic waste.
“Together, we are committed to fostering a sustainable future and safeguarding our planet. We’re delighted to help encourage our guests to recycle their plastic, by rewarding them with the chance to win exciting VIP experiences.”
You can now sign up to attend the fifth annual Net Zero Festival, which will be hosted by BusinessGreen on October 22-23 at the Business Design Centre in London.
