Racegoers at the recent ABB FIA Formula E Championship in Diriyah made a sizable dent in plastic waste. In its post-event statistics dashboard, PepsiCo’s Saudi-based sustainable solutions partner Naqaa, noted that recycled plastic amounting to 2,630 kg was collected from 100 co-branded Aquafina recycling bins during the season-opening race.
The weight of the recycled bottles is equal to three performance-based Formula E electric race cars. The initiative reduced the event’s carbon footprint by saving the emission of 6,575 kg of carbon dioxide and conserving 69,576,000 BTUs of heat energy. It also represents a saving of 14.1 cubic meters of landfill space.
Nadim Nakfoor, MENA FOBO, senior vice president and business unit general manager for PepsiCo, thanked partners and the public, saying he was encouraged that so many visitors also wanted to help create a world where plastic never becomes waste.
Earlier this month Aquafina, the official beverage partner of the Formula E electric car race in Saudi Arabia, announced its intention to recycle plastic at the event and make it the most environmentally friendly car race yet. It handed out co-branded bottles, created numerous recycling points and partnered with Naqaa to sort, recover and track recycled items. By 2025, PepsiCo wants all its packaging to be 100 percent recyclable, compostable or biodegradable.
