Coca-Cola unveils first airport recycling zone

Coca-Cola revealed last October it was looking at transport hubs for its recycling zone roll-out, but admitted there were special considerations to be made, such as a possible terrorist threat.

Manchester is the UK's largest airport outside of London and is the first to have a recycling zone. Bin manufacturer Wybone designed the 125 bins, which are expected to collect one million plastic bottles at the terminals and departure gates each year, as well as paper waste .

Erika Coghlin, vice president of Coca-Cola Enterprises, said the zones made it easy for people to recycle exactly when they needed to.

"People have increased their recycling at home and at work, but it's less convenient to recycle when you're on the go," she said.

The drinks giant has already launched recycling zones at Thorpe Park theme park, the University of Warwick and Ashford & St Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust in Surrey. It is aiming for 80 similar zones to be in place by 2011. Edinburgh is already set to open in coming months.

The project is a collaboration between the Coca-Cola Enterprises, Recoup and the Waste and Resources Action Programme.