philippines

The Philippines was the second Social Plastic Ecosystem activated by Plastic Bank in November 2016.
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The Philippines is ranked by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation as the third biggest plastic polluter in the world, behind only China and Indonesia. The Philippines annually contributes nearly two million tonnes of mismanaged waste plastic to the global ocean plastic problem.

Informal recycling communities have already taken root in city centres in an attempt to harness the lost economic value of plastic material.

For this reason, building new recycling infrastructure in the Philippines is inappropriate

Instead, Plastic Bank has developed a strategic partnership model, wherein existing recycling infrastructure is incorporated into a Plastic Bank Ecosystem, empowering local entrepreneurs, and engaging schools, and churches. This new model has proven to be more efficient, and highly scalable.

1,473,803

Plastic collected (KG)

1575

Active collectors

43+

Branches

Last updated. 31/12/2019

Pilot leads to expansion

To expand Plastic Bank Ecosystems in the Philippines, we work with strong partners like SC Johnson, Danone, ALDI, Greiner, and Eat Natural. Since the official ribbon cutting ceremony at a pilot location in January 2016, we have established a network of 43+ Branches, engaged 1500+ Collectors and are now collecting 200,000 kg of plastic per month.

GIDGET VELEZ

Philippines Country Manager

Subsistence to enterprise

For two decades, members of the Association have been recovering recyclables and individually selling to “junk shops”. Plastic Bank supported them to work as a cooperative, recovering and selling recyclable plastics to their own enterprise. This pays a higher price for the plastics and the co-op has developed a collective savings fund.

From the margins to the centre

Previously at the bottom of the plastic recycling pyramid, the co-op now recovers close to 12,000 kg of plastics every month, selling cleaned and sorted plastics to Plastic Bank partner processors

The City Government of Naga has appointed the co-op as the aggregator of plastics collected across 27 facilities in all of the barangays (villages) within Naga City.

From the grassroots to the platform

The cooperative has become an influential voice in the dialogue on solid waste management and poverty reduction.

The UNESCAP engages the Balatas-Kadamay Association president as a representative of plastic collectors in global dialogues.

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