NESTLÉ Philippines has teamed up with Valenzuela City government, alongside the Department of Education of Valenzuela City branch and Green Antz Builders, Inc., to introduce a citywide program to recover post-consumer waste laminates such as sachets and beverage cartons.
In a statement over the weekend, Nestlé Philippines said its chairman and CEO Kais Marzouki signed the memorandum of understanding for “May Balik! Sa Plastic!,” along with Valenzuela Rexlon T. Gatchalian, DepEd Assistant School Division Superintendent Dr. Benjamin D. Samson, and Green Antz Builders, Inc. President Rommel Benig.
The program will provide incentives for street sweepers and schoolchildren who turn in waste laminates and beverage cartons at designated booths in the barangay and schools. They will receive Nestlé products or school supplies as reward.
The scheme is seen to encourage the collection of waste laminates and used beverage cartons which can be used for co-processing in cement kilns, or for recycling and upcycling.
“There is a need to accelerate action on the issue on plastic. For Nestlé, this means addressing post-consumer wastes that would otherwise go to landfills and leak into waterways and oceans,” Mr. Marzouki was quoted in a statement.
Mr. Marzouki said the pilot program in Valenzuela City may be later replicated in other cities. “The best thing about it is that the approach involves the participation of various stakeholders. Our partnership with Valenzuela City, one of the most progressive cities in Metro Manila, is a milestone not only for us at Nestlé and Valenzuela City, but more importantly, for the environment,” he said.
As mayor, Mr. Gatchalian said his approach has not been to ban plastics, but to recycle, reuse and repurpose plastic.
“In our city, we already have a system in place for larger waste plastic materials which are segregated and sold for extra income by our haulers. ‘May Balik! Sa Plastik!’ gives us a solution for what to do with smaller plastics, laminates, sachets,” he said.
For the program, Green Antz will serve as training partner, main hauler of collected wastes, and recycler under the program, utilizing a portion of the waste materials.
In April 2018, Nestlé announced a global commitment to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025. — Janina C. Lim
