Conversion into biogas

Recalled cola will soon be incinerated

The millions of half-liter bottles will no longer be a treat for the palate - but they could soon provide warmth in the form of gas.

(Bild: APA/dpa/Uli Deck)

28 million bottles of Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite and MezzoMix: rarely before has there been such a large-scale recall in Austria. Now a solution seems to have been found as to what to do with the vast quantities of liters of soda - it could be burned.

According to a report by ORF Burgenland, the affected products will be processed into biogas. The broadcaster referred to a letter it had received from the company. Coca-Cola itself was initially unavailable for comment on Wednesday morning.

Small pieces of metal suspected in soft drinks
Around 28 million bottles with a best-before date between 4.2.2025 and 12.4.2025 with the code "WP" under the printed date were affected. During bottling at the production plant in Edelstal (district of Neusiedl am See), a sieve had broken, which is why small pieces of metal were suspected in the soft drinks. It was one of the largest recalls ever in Austria.

Aiming for the most sustainable disposal possible
The PET bottles affected are now to be recycled, while the liquids will be used in biogas production. "Following a validation of all handling options and a comprehensive risk assessment, we have decided to dispose of all affected products as sustainably as possible for safety reasons," ORF Burgenland quoted from the letter.

Coca-Cola also said that after the four-week public recall phase, only one confirmed product complaint had been received so far.