Kingston, Jamaica – The worlds’ largest beverage brand Coca-Cola is teaming up with local franchise holders the Wisynco Group Ltd to tackle coastal and waterway pollution on September 15. The day is observed as the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) day, and is organised locally by the Jamaica Environmental Trust.

The ICC programme is The Coca-Cola Company’s premier litter abatement partnership. First launched in the United States in 1986, the ICC is an initiative of Ocean Conservancy and 2011 will mark the 16th consecutive year that Coca-Cola will be sponsoring the massive undertaking on an international level.

Kimberly Lawson, Wisynco’s Corporate Communications and Sponsorship Manager, said that while Coca-Cola was an international partner of the Ocean Conservancy and the ICC, this would be the first time that Coca-Cola will be participating in the events in Jamaica.

“Wisynco usually sends a team of volunteers out every year as we play our part in keeping the environment safe, but this year we wanted to make a greater impact, so we reached out to The Coca-Cola Company and they agreed to come on board and activate the ICC in Jamaica with us,” Lawson said.

“One of the ways Coca-Cola gives back to its communities is through the support of global sustainability initiatives, and The Wisynco Group is keen on participating in environmental activities, because local action drives global change, each associate’s individual contribution makes a difference on our beaches, inland waterways and oceans. It was a natural pairing, especially since this year Coca-Cola and Wisynco also deepened our relationships,” she continued.

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Wisynco will be sending a total of six teams of volunteers out to Fort Rocky and Lighthouse beaches in Palisadoes, Hellshire Beach in Portmore, Welcome Beach in Clarendon, White River Beach in St Ann and Freeport Lagoon beach in St James.

The teams will be picking up, weighing and categorizing debris from our waterways and coastal areas.

Over the past 25 years, more than eight and a half million (8,763,377) volunteers have removed one hundred and forty-five million (144,606,491) pounds of trash from nearly three hundred thousand (291,514) miles of coastline and waterways in 152 countries and locations.

“Pollution of our waterways continues to be a challenge that we must continue to battle, as it is one of the biggest threats to our oceans and waterways, however even as we at Wisynco continue to streamline our own operations to be more environmentally friendly, there is great need for education and public sensitization about pollution,” Lawson remarked.

This kind of activity is important to the Wisynco Group, who is the leading distributor of non-alcoholic brands in Jamaica. The company has been involved with the ICC since 2007, and continues to be involved in internal and external activities that promote the protection of the environment.

“It was very important that as a responsible citizen of corporate Jamaica, especially as a manufacturer, that we support causes and events that lead to the betterment of our island. We really hope that come September 15, thousands of Jamaicans come out and help to make our beaches and waterways cleaner,” Lawson said.