D&L showcases applications for plastic upcycling such as public benches made from plastic bottles and school chairs made from used sachets.

Lao’s D&L pioneers plastic upcycling in the Philippines

The Lao family's D&L Industries, through its subsidiaries First in Colours and D&L Polymer & Colours, successfully deployed solutions to transform single-use plastics that are considered waste into reusable forms.

These subsidiaries have created innovations like Plastibond®, Polyguard®, and Deomate® which improve plastic compatibility, stability, and odor, respectively. Examples of these include benches made from plastic bottles and school chairs made from sachets. 

“We believe upcycling is the future of plastics,” said Lester Yao, who heads the two subsidiaries. 

“In fact, in certain cases, upcycled plastics can even exceed the physical properties of virgin plastics. This technology also offers another way for companies to comply with the Extended Producers Responsibility Act by increasing recycled content of their plastic packaging materials,” he added. 

D&L, which also produces food ingredients and other industrial chemical products started research and development on new plastics applications two decades ago

About the author
Miguel R. Camus
Miguel R. Camus

Miguel R. Camus has been a reporter covering various domestic business topics since 2009.

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