Coca-Cola Philippines expands partnership with Plastic Bank PH, accelerates collection and recycling in Laguna

Tweet

Coca-Cola Philippines continues to strengthen its partnerships with like-minded organizations to help address the issue of plastic waste in the country. As part of its efforts, the company has expanded the Ecosystem Impact Program in partnership with Plastic Bank Philippines, a social enterprise that builds collection and recycling ecosystems in communities to prevent ocean-bound plastic waste.

Since the program began operations in Cavite in 2021, it has now expanded to Laguna, with nine new partner shops on board, adding to a total of 15 recyclable wastes collection branches within Coca-Cola Philippines and Plastic Bank's program areas. Furthermore, over 160 new waste collection members have joined the Plastic Bank ecosystem, bringing the total number of members to 600. These new additions to the ecosystem have helped scale the collection of the Program.

Nine new partner shops have been enrolled to the Program this year, with plans to onboard more and further expand operations in Laguna in the coming months.

"Together with our partner, Plastic Bank Philippines, we are delighted to see the expansion of the Plastic Bank Ecosystem in Laguna. At Coca-Cola, we recognize our responsibility in helping address the global plastic waste problem, and we remain committed to growing our collection and recycling efforts across the nation, in collaboration with partners and communities," said Atty. Cashmer Dirampaten, Director for Public Affairs, Communications, and Sustainability of Coca-Cola Franchise East Region.

Through the Coca-Cola Philippines and Plastic Bank Ecosystem Impact Program, partner branches, such as junk shops, are given access to tools and equipment for efficient waste collection, such as sacks, branch uniforms, weighing scales, and shop signages. In addition, members are also provided with training sessions on financial and business literacy, operations management, and health and sanitation. The Program also teaches them how to use the Plastic Bank app, which assists shop owners in tracking collections and sharing their waste collection impact online and at the same time provides ease of access to receive useful information and other benefits from the Program.

Roving waste collection members gather recyclable plastic from households, businesses, and other waste generating sources in the communities and bring the material to partner collection branches. They are the important link or the intermediaries between waste generators and recycling facilities playing a crucial role in the country’s waste management system by helping increase the recycling rate and reducing landfill waste.

The Coca-Cola Philippines and Plastic Bank Ecosystem Impact Program works directly with individuals in the informal waste sector and MSMEs like junk shops to create collection and recycling ecosystems in communities that help prevent plastic waste from going into the ocean. The program also gives the members access to training and equipment for systemized waste collection.

The Program’s waste collection members bring the plastic waste to partner collection branches and receive an above-market rate for collected plastic, which is convertible into cash or digital tokens that can be used for health, work and life insurance, digital connectivity, and social and fintech services.

Gidget Velez, Chief Supply and Countries Officer of Plastic Bank, expressed gratitude for the continuously growing 3-year relationship with Coca-Cola Philippines. “Plastic pollution is a major crisis that affects all life on Earth. It requires the collective effort of all humanity to address this issue. We thank Coca-Cola Philippines for being part of our mission to stop ocean plastic and alleviate poverty for three years. Now that we opened a new ecosystem in Laguna, our journey together will create an even bigger impact for our planet and our society.”

The Coca-Cola Philippines and Plastic Bank Ecosystem Impact Program intends to empower and equip local junk shops to be able to independently sustain their waste collection ecosystems moving forward, through livelihood opportunities, social and financial benefits, and acceleration of collection capacity and processes. With this growing partnership with Plastic Bank, Coca-Cola Philippines remains committed to its World Without Waste vision and to helping create a sustainable packaging future for Filipinos.

Coca-Cola Philippines and partners mobilize over 400 volunteers to join coastal cleanup

Tweet

Despite rain, volunteers from over 30 organizations join International Coastal Cleanup activation at Subic Bay

Over 30 organizations gathered last September 17 at Subic Bay to pluck away debris and trash along its coastline and waters. Armed with cleaning kits provided by Coca-Cola Philippines and taught to properly segregate waste collected from the cleanup by the Lighthouse Legacy Foundation, some 430 volunteers were undeterred by the rain and joined many other groups and organizations in the country who participated in the annual International Coastal Cleanup (ICC). Employees of Coca-Cola Philippines from Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, and Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines’ (CCBPI) North Luzon Commercial Unit also joined this year’s ICC at Subic.

Organized by Coca-Cola Philippines in partnership with Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and the Lighthouse Legacy Foundation, this year’s ICC activity at Subic Bay helped to deliver on the ongoing commitment of Coca-Cola Philippines to create partnerships that promote a debris-free environment, consistent with the World Without Waste vision of the company.

“At Coca-Cola, we recognize our responsibility to help solve the global plastic waste problem. To help create a World Without Waste, we have a global goal to help collect and recycle the equivalent of every bottle and can we sell by 2030. This is an ambitious goal that we cannot achieve alone, which is why we collaborate with like-minded organizations to help drive collective action,” said Jonah de Lumen-Pernia, Director for the Philippines Franchise, Coca-Cola ASEAN & South Pacific.

“We are grateful to all the volunteers who traveled to Subic, brought their family and friends, and chose to spend their Saturday with us doing coastal cleanup. It feels great to see the sense of volunteerism for the environment alive through this ICC event, especially after a two-year hiatus,” said Atty. Cashmer Dirampaten, Director for Public Affairs, Communications, and Sustainability, Coca-Cola Franchise East Region, Coca-Cola ASEAN & South Pacific.

The ICC is a global movement where volunteers from more than 90 countries simultaneously remove debris from shorelines, rivers, lakes, and waterways; raise environmental awareness; and provide information that will guide and influence decision-making bodies and industries in developing smart solutions to the persisting marine debris problem.

Addressing a persisting challenge

SBMA Chair Rolen Paulino emphasized the importance of working together to ensure a sustainable future and healthy environment for the next generation. “Mga bata, makinig kayo. Para sa inyo itong ginagawa namin. Sana may maiwan pa kami na environment [para sa inyo]. Sana ‘yung ilog natin malinis pa, sana ‘yung beaches natin [ay] pwede pang paliguan. Request ko lang [na] huwag na tayong makadagdag [ng basura]. Be conscious, sa atin lang [galing] ito lahat,” he said, addressing the volunteers. “Nagpapasalamat ako [na] merong Lighthouse [Legacy Foundation] at Coca-Cola na gustong maging maganda pa ‘yung titirhan ng mga bata, ng mga next generation."

(Kids, listen. We are doing these cleanup initiatives for your generation. I truly hope that we can leave a clean, healthy environment for you. I hope we can keep our rivers clean, and our beaches safe for swimming. I ask you all to please avoid throwing away trash into the environment. Let’s manage it properly. Be conscious because this pollution was also caused by us. I thank the Lighthouse Legacy Foundation and Coca-Cola for undertaking programs that address the roots of plastic pollution for our children and their next generation.)

“Joining the coastal cleanup, I learned a lot about proper waste collection, segregation, and recycling, which I plan to share with my loved ones. We all need to help reduce waste, and this initiative is an opportunity to get everyone to realize that safeguarding the environment is a shared responsibility,” shares a volunteer from Alon at Araw organization, which had the largest delegation of volunteers during the cleanup.

The annual ICC event is an opportunity to reinvigorate the spirit of volunteerism among Filipinos by enlisting their participation in helping reduce marine litter. “It is important for the Philippines to act quickly on the matter because failure to do so would mean irreparable damage to our marine resources,” said Zed Avecilla, Executive Director, Lighthouse Legacy Foundation. “The annual ICC is always a good opportunity to raise awareness on marine pollution and the importance of proper waste segregation and disposal.”

This ICC activity in Subic this year was able to divert 733.46 kilos of marine debris, equivalent to 295 sacks of waste. Recyclable plastics will be brought to partner recycling organizations such as Precious Plastics Philippines and Sentinel Upcycling Technologies, while the rest will be considered for waste to energy or will be brought to landfills.

ICC activity in other areas

CCBPI—the bottling arm of Coca-Cola in the Philippines—also activated 20 of its sites to participate in ICC activity in other parts of the country from September 16 to 17, and 19. Across its vast footprint in the country, CCBPI aim to refresh the Philippines and make a difference as it strives to operate its business with the highest sustainability standards.

“CCBPI’s yearly participation in the International Coastal Cleanup is just one of the many ways we ensure that we remain an integral part in supporting a debris-free environment for the communities we operate in. As we help reduce marine litter, we unceasingly accelerate our used clear PET plastic bottle collection efforts nationwide — helping to turn our World Without Waste commitment into reality through the collaboration of our employees and partners across the Philippines,” said Atty. Juan Lorenzo Tañada, Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Director of Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc.

Commitment to a World Without Waste

In 2018, Coca-Cola announced its global vision of a World Without Waste including the ambitious goals of helping collect a bottle or can for every one it sells by 2030 and using at least 50% recycled content in its packaging by 2025.

To encourage recycling and promote a circular economy, in 2019, the beverage company introduced the Philippines’ first beverage bottles made from 100% recycled plastic material (excluding the cap and label) with the launch of its Viva! Mineralized water and Sprite 500ml clear bottles made from 100% recycled plastic.

Moreover, Coca-Cola also placed “Recycle Me” on all of its package labels across Coca-Cola brands in the Philippines to promote and remind consumers about the value of recycling and how everyone can take part in the recycling process.

Coca-Cola Philippines, and its community partners nationwide, also made its accessible for consumers to know where to drop off their used PET bottles through the Coca-Cola Philippines website.

“We recognize that there continues to be too much plastic in the world ending up where it shouldn’t be. Nobody wants to see that. At Coca-Cola, we’re fully committed to making our vision of a World Without Waste come to life,” said Tony Del Rosario, Coca-Cola Philippines President and VP for Franchise Operations for the ASEAN and South Pacific Unit-East Asia Region.

Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc. Incentivizes Recycling through Tapon to Ipon: Basta Klaro, Panalo Collection Hubs across PH

Tweet

Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI)—the bottling arm of Coca-Cola in the country—is accelerating its plastic bottle collection program “Tapon to Ipon: Basta Klaro, Panalo” to benefit more communities nationwide. Through Tapon to Ipon, clear beverage plastic bottles made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET)—material that is 100% recyclable—are collected to be given new life through PETValue Philippines, the country’s first bottle-to-bottle recycling facility.

Through Tapon to Ipon, CCBPI hopes to change the mindset about packaging recyclability—because clear used PET plastic bottles usually get thrown away after use (tapon), their potential wasted. In sari-sari store collection hubs first launched in Batangas City and the City of Manila, used PET plastic bottles are being collected and exchanged by community members for incentives (ipon).

Basta Klaro, Panalo!

All Tapon to Ipon collection hubs are accepting all types of clear post-consumer PET plastic beverage bottles– regardless of brand —thus the tagline Basta Klaro, Panalo! Underscoring that clear plastic bottles chart higher in recyclability compared to colored ones.

“Through Tapon to Ipon, we want to raise awareness about recycling and we want to do our part in ensuring that plastic packaging materials that are 100% recyclable are collected and used again,” says Gareth McGeown, CEO and President of CCBPI. “At the same time, we’re starting a movement within local communities— World Without Waste is a collective movement and the contribution of every single individual is valuable.”

World Without Waste is Coca-Cola’s global goal to collect and recycle 100% of the bottles and cans it sells by 2030—a campaign now finding a pillar in Tapon to Ipon and its ability to enjoin every stakeholder within and beyond the Coca-Cola ecosystem in taking part.

Sari-sari stores as plastic bottle collection hubs

Tapon to Ipon leverages Coca-Cola's extensive network to collect post-consumer plastic bottles: trade outlets such as sari-sari stores and wholesalers are being tapped to stand as collection hubs. These outlets—which often double as community landmarks, and who help bring Coca-Cola products closer to Filipino homes—are now also hubs through which plastic packaging gets collected for recycling.

To encourage store owners to participate, Coca-Cola developed an incentive-based strategy that would provide SMEs additional income on top of their sari-sari store business. Consumers also benefit from the program as they receive Coca-Cola products in exchange for the used plastic bottles that they will turn over at the Tapon to Ipon sari-sari store hubs.

"Nagustuhan po namin ang Tapon to Ipon dahil sa incentives na nakukuha namin. Nakakatuwa dahil nakakatulong din po kami sa kalinisan ng kapaligiran. Ang mga plastik na bote na nasa estero at kalsada, ngayon po dinadala dito sa tindahan para ipalit ng Coke Mismo (We appreciate Tapon to Ipon because of the incentives that we get. We enjoy how we are also able to help the environment. The plastic bottles that used to be in drainage canals and streets are now being brought to our store to be exchanged for Coke Mismo)," says Ace of Saunder’s, a Tapon to Ipon Collection Hub in Batangas.

"Ipagpapatuloy namin ang Tapon to Ipon dahil natutunan ng mga tao ipunin at ihiwalay ang plastik bottles para ipalit sa libreng Coke. Nagkaroon ng halaga ang basura na dating nasa isang tabi lang (We will continue to take part in Tapon to Ipon because people are learning how to collect and segregate plastic bottles in exchange for free Coke. Wastes that used to be scattered are now given value)," shares Leonor from Bigasan sa Hilltop, also a hub in Batangas.

CCBPI has also been organizing awareness activities in different barangays, to familiarize more communities about its collection program and about the inherent recyclability of clear PET packaging. Such initiatives include one-day barangay events, setting up in barangay halls or basketball courts to enjoin participation in Tapon to Ipon.

The program was first launched in October 2021 in Batangas City, where Coca-Cola’s partner store hubs have been collecting a total of around 300kgs of clear plastic bottles a week on average. The success of this pilot rollout has shown immense potential as a sustainable reverse route to a market model for post-consumer plastic bottle collection.

Following its successful pilot in Batangas City, Tapon to Ipon was launched in the City of Manila City in February 2022—and is set to be expanded across the country in the coming months.

“We are grateful for the support of all our partners—LGUs and barangay officials who have welcomed us into their communities—in making the pilot launch of Tapon to Ipon a success,” says McGeown. “We are very excited about expanding the reach of the program, further spreading its positive impact on communities, and accelerating the benefits of sustainability.”

Tapon to Ipon via Happiness On-Demand delivery

In addition to collecting plastic bottles through sari-sari stores and wholesalers, Tapon to Ipon: Basta Klaro, Panalo was also launched via CCBPI’s Happiness on Demand (HOD) home delivery service. HOD customers in Las Pinas, Parañaque, Alabang, and Bonifacio Global City can turn over clear plastic bottles to the Coca-Cola HOD team upon delivery of their orders.

McGeown adds “We know we have the responsibility to manage our environmental footprint and to ensure a sustainable circular economy for all—and this is why at Coca-Cola, we always take action.”

In the Philippines, as part of its pursuit of a World Without Waste, Coca-Cola’s business and packaging footprint is 50% returnable glass, and all its packaging materials are 100% recyclable. Through programs like Tapon to Ipon and partnerships with various groups, Coca-Cola enjoins everyone to join the collective movement to make World Without Waste a reality.