Community collection anchors Coca-Cola’s PET recycling push

Insider Spotlight

• Coca-Cola Philippines is leaning on neighborhood retailers to make PET bottle collection more accessible and strengthen the recycling chain
• The Biñan program starts with 50 stores across 10 barangays, with five participating retailers in each
• Collected bottles are intended for recycling, with the goal of bringing recovered PET to PETValue Philippines in Cavite
  
  
  

Coca-Cola Philippines is betting that bringing PET collection closer to households—and involving retailers residents already frequent—can help build a more organized recycling chain and encourage bottle-return habits at the community level.

The beverage company expanded its Tapon to Ipon PET bottle collection program to Biñan City, Laguna, in partnership with the city government, Department of the Interior and Local Government Laguna and Basic Environmental Systems and Technologies Inc. The initial rollout covers 50 store owners in 10 barangays.

Under the program, sari-sari stores and other retailers act as collection hubs where residents can bring used clear PET bottles of any brand. Participating retailers consolidate the bottles and earn points that can be redeemed for products, online shopping vouchers, food products and utility-bill credits.

Bottle recovery

 Locating collection points inside neighborhoods could reduce the effort required for households to participate in bottle recovery. The collected material is intended to be diverted for recycling, with the program aiming to bring it to PETValue Philippines, a bottle-to-bottle, food-grade PET recycling facility in Cavite.

The Biñan government will mobilize local officials and communities, while Coca-Cola will provide collection tools and kits. BEST Inc. will support operations and collections, PASCO will help engage retailers, and DILG will monitor program outcomes.

Active participation 

“We assure that the city government of Biñan is committed to this project and ensure that our communities will be deeply involved in the program. The community’s active participation is key to bringing this project to life and ensuring its success,” City Government of Biñan Mayor Angelo Alonte said in a press statement.

“We know that strong and effective recycling value chains cannot be built by one organization alone. It takes collaboration. We look forward to seeing this partnership grow, and more importantly, become part of the habits and practices of communities across the city of Biñan. May this partnership inspire more communities to see every bottle returned. It is an opportunity to create lasting environmental and social impact,” Coca-Cola Philippines senior director for public affairs, communications and sustainability Ma. Christine Ponce-Garcia said.

Biñan extends Tapon to Ipon into South Luzon. Coca-Cola said the program has reached more than 170 cities and municipalities nationwide since 2021. —Vanessa Hidalgo | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma