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

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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, Plastic Bank® partnership accelerates collection and recycling ecosystem in Cavite

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In celebration of World Oceans Day, Coca-Cola Philippines and Plastic Bank® announced that in 2022, they will together help to collect 10 million post-consumer PET plastic bottles to address and solve the global packaging waste issue while improving the lives of partner collectors and junk shops enrolled in the Plastic Bank Ecosystem Impact Program. This is double their target in 2021, when 5 million used PET bottles were successfully recycled and diverted from landfills and oceans.

Through the Ecosystem Impact Week event, which will run from June 8 to 12, 2022 at Robinsons Place General Trias, Coca-Cola Philippines, Plastic Bank® and the local government of General Trias, Cavite, aim to educate more Filipinos on the value of collecting and recycling recyclable plastics. A collection booth has been set up for consumers visiting the mall, where they can bring clean and used recyclable plastic bottles and help give these a second life.

Coca-Cola Philippines, together with Plastic Bank, officially opened the Ecosystem Impact Week on World Oceans Day in Robinsons Place General Trias with a public exhibit on their waste collection initiatives, including a collection booth, where mall-goers can bring clean and used plastic bottles for recycling.

“At Coca-Cola, we recognize that we have a big role to play in helping solve the plastic waste problem,” said Tony del Rosario, President of Coca-Cola Philippines and Vice President for East Franchise Operations of Coca-Cola ASEAN and South Pacific.

“With partners like Plastic Bank, the government, non-government organizations, civil society, industry and private sectors, we know that a World Without Waste with measurable, positive impact is possible.” Del Rosario added.

Plastic Bank is a social enterprise that builds collection and recycling ecosystems in coastal communities by working directly with individuals in the informal waste sector and micro and small enterprises like junk shops. Through the Plastic Bank Ecosystem, collector partners are given access to training, tools and equipment for efficient waste collection, and a source of livelihood. The program also connects collector partners to the market (Material Recovery Facilities or junk shop branches) that buys their collections to ensure the sustainability of the program.

Empowering communities one individual at a time

In January of 2022, Jenny Arcilla, owner of Jecka Junkshop, turned her business into a Plastic Bank Partner Branch. Through the partnership, her shop was refurbished and given the proper equipment, ensuring safe working conditions for her all-female staff. After receiving training, they also learned how to use the Plastic Bank App, which assists shop owners in tracking collections and sharing their waste collection impact online.

“Sa tulong ng Coca-Cola at Plastic Bank, na-upgrade ko ang negosyong simulan namin ng aking asawa. Nakaka-proud din na hindi lang pamilya ko ang aking natutulungan, pati na rin ang mga kababaihan sa aming komunidad,” said Arcilla.

Nanay Vicky, a waste collector in General Trias, Cavite, is among the beneficiaries of the partnership between Coca-Cola Philippines and Plastic Bank. While currently working as a street sweeper, she also collects plastic bottles that are cleaned and sold to junk shops.

Around the same time in January, Vicky Advincula (Nanay Vicky) also began working as a collector in General Trias. While currently employed as a street sweeper, Nanay Vicky also collects and cleans recyclable plastics that are sold to junk shops.

“Malaking tulong sa aming mga waste collector at sa aming barangay ang programang ito, dahil dito marami sa amin ang natutong bigyan ng importansya ang pag-recycle ng PET bottles. Nabibigyan din kami ng extra income dahil sa bawat makolektang plastic nakakakuha kami ng perang pandagdag sa araw-araw naming gastusin,” said Nanay Vicky.

“Plastic Bank works with about 500 recycling communities around the world and over 20,000 community members, most of whom are like Jenny and Nanay Vicky. By supporting collection communities in coastal areas, we effectively prevent plastic from reaching the oceans. Our partnership with Coca-Cola Philippines has helped us reach critical scale in just two years—from the volume of plastic we collect to the number of lives we directly impact,” said Gidget Velez, Chief Country Development Officer of Plastic Bank PH, says of Coca-Cola as a partner and as an enabler of sustainability programs.

Mall goers are encouraged to bring their own plastic bottles to Robinsons Place General Trias through the Ecosystem Impact Week exhibit that will run until June 12. At present, the partnership between Coca-Cola Philippines and Plastic Bank has diverted 5 million plastic bottles from oceans and landfills.

Creating a value chain for recycling

In 2018, The Coca-Cola Company announced its global goal to help collect and recycle the equivalent of every bottle and can it sells by 2030 to achieve its vision of a World Without Waste. The beverage company strategically helps to build a circular economy through its three fundamental global goals:

· Design - make its packaging 100% recyclable globally by 2025, and use at least 50% recycled material in its packaging by 2030;

· Collect - collect and recycle every bottle and can that they sell by 2030;

· Partner - work with like-minded institutions to support a healthy, debris-free environment.

Coca-Cola Philippines has since invested in community programs and critical infrastructure to make the recycling value chain a reality. PETValue, the first bottle-to-bottle recycling plant in the Philippines located at General Trias, is expected to process 30,000 metric tons of plastic PET bottles and produce around 16,000 metric tons of recycled PET resins every year. The facility works under a closed-loop recycling system, processing post-consumer plastic bottles and turning these into recycled bottles, allowing them to reenter the supply chain.

“At Coca-Cola, we realize that we cannot achieve our World Without Waste goals alone. As we look forward to the full operations this year of PETValue, we will need the collaboration and support of individuals and communities as we together help to create a circular economy for PET plastic in the Philippines, starting here in General Trias City,” said Del Rosario.

The company also said that the PETValue facility once operational will generate more than 200 local jobs that will support the livelihood of individuals within the waste value chain. Coca-Cola Philippines continues to work towards supporting strategic collection partners at the institutional and community levels across the country in a bid to adequately supply the plant with recyclable material for recycling.

Participate in the Ecosystem Impact Week by bringing clean plastic recyclables to Robinsons Place General Trias from June 8 to 12, 2022.

For more information about Coca-Cola's World Without Waste goals, visit www.coca-cola.com.ph/en/sustainability/worldwithoutwaste.

Cleene Ethyl Alcohol launches Towards a Cleener Philippines campaign, partners with Plastic Bank to help reduce ocean plastic waste

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Cleene Ethyl Alcohol, a trusted Filipino brand that provides high-quality and affordable alcohol products from Philusa Corporation, extends its effort in reducing ocean-bound plastic waste as it partners with social enterprise Plastic Bank Corporation.

Event host Joyce Pring-Trivino with Philusa Corporation President and General Manager Neogin Evangelista and Plastic Bank Philippines Country Manager Rene Guarin.

The initiative is unveiled during the virtual launch of Cleene Ethyl Alcohol’s campaign entitled “Towards a Cleener Philippines,” a movement encouraging the public to be more mindful of the environment by adopting an eco-friendly lifestyle. This is in collaboration with Plastic Bank, which is known for building recycling ecosystems in coastal areas through its community of plastic collectors.

With the Philippines named as one of the top producers of marine waste, Cleene Ethyl Alcohol has taken the leap in creating a bigger impact on the environment together with Plastic Bank.

Cleene Ethyl Alcohol is supporting Plastic Bank’s Impact Program which intends to help prevent 1.25 million plastic bottles from entering the ocean. Cleene Ethyl Alcohol will also help improve the lives of more than 600 plastic waste collectors in vulnerable coastal communities in Makati, Pasig and Mandaluyong.

“It’s always been our commitment to finding sustainable ways to help our environment. And we hope that through this effort, we can contribute to minimizing ocean plastic waste and be of help to our hardworking Plastic Bank collectors,” shared Philusa Corporation President and General Manager Neogin Evangelista.

Promoting collaboration between consumers and brands, Plastic Bank’s Impact Program enables Cleene Ethyl Alcohol to achieve its annual sustainability goals and empower its consumers to make an impact on the environment.

Cleene Ethyl Alcohol’s support for the Impact Program will also contribute to the collectors’ income, enabling them to afford basic family necessities such as food, clean water, and cellular service, among others.

Additionally, the company is distributing health kits in several cities nationwide to help improve the health of the collectors.

To date, the Impact Program has stopped over 2,401,315,100 from entering the ocean, impacting over 588 communities.

“We are honored to be joining Cleene in their journey in making this project come to life. As a partner, we at Plastic Bank are driven to strengthen our ocean-bound plastic recycling efforts and give Cleene the opportunity to take a leadership position in the regenerative society,” said Plastic Bank Philippines Country Manager Rene Guarin.

“We look forward to creating more impact on our oceans and coastal communities in the years to come together with Plastic Bank. We encourage everyone to create sustainability programs in our own simple ways and join our movement towards a Cleener Philippines,” Evangelista added.

To learn more about this initiative and how you can take part in this movement, visit philusa.com and plasticbank.com.

Event host Joyce Pring-Trivino with Philusa Corporation Marketing Manager Maya Leander, Cleene Ethyl Alcohol Brand Manager Janna dela Cruz, Plastic Bank Philippines Country Manager Rene Guarin, and Plastic Bank Customer Relations Manager Ted Guayco during the Q&A portion.

About Philusa Corporation

Established in 1957, Philusa Corporation remains as one of the country’s leading marketers of high quality and competitively priced personal care, household care, baby care and selected pharmaceutical products, making it the source of pride for its customers, business partners, employees and shareholders.

Now with 10 branches in key cities nationwide, Philusa Corporation is a market leader or major player in different categories like cotton (Cleene), cotton buds (Babyflo Gentle Buds), wound care management (MEDIPLAST), bathroom deodorizer and air care (ALBATROSS), home care and muriatic acid (Gleam and Apollo), home remedies (RHEA Alcohol, RHEA Aceite de Manzanilla and RHEA Hydrogen Peroxide), and uni-branded generic medicines (RHEA Generics).

Philusa Corporation continues its operations, guided by the core values it lives by — championing sustainability; placing its customers’ needs first; achieving the best possible results through innovation, continuous quality improvement, and teamwork; taking proactive steps in delivering its commitments on time; acting with integrity by doing what is right; and having genuine concern for its customers, employees, and the company itself though taking initiatives in helping one another.

About Plastic Bank

Plastic Bank® empowers the regenerative society. We build ethical recycling ecosystems in coastal communities and reprocess the materials for reintroduction into the global supply chain as Social Plastic®. Collectors receive bonuses for the materials they collect which helps them provide basic family necessities such as groceries, cooking fuel, school tuition, and health insurance. Plastic Bank’s Alchemy™ blockchain platform secures the entire transaction and provides real-time data visualization – allowing for transparency, traceability, and rapid scalability. Learn more at plasticbank.com.