More than 1,000 kg of waste are collected by Coca-Cola PH and its partners in Tanza, Cavite’s coastal cleaning

On September 16, as part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), Coca-Cola Philippines, Plastic Bank Philippines, and the Lighthouse Legacy Foundation organized more than 200 volunteers to collect trash and marine garbage at Julugan Fish Terminal in Tanza, Cavite.

To address the issue of coastal waste in the area, workers from the Coca-Cola Philippines system joined forces with waste collection volunteers from its Ecosystem Impact Program with Plastic Bank Philippines, ICC Philippines, Lighthouse Legacy Foundation, the Local Government of Tanza, the Philippine Coast Guard Cavite Chapter, and Don Bosco School of Theology. Together, they collected more than 1,000 kg of waste.

The “World Without Waste” strategy of Coca-Cola Philippines was launched in 2018, well before the country’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Law was passed, according to Zed Avecilla, president of the Lighthouse Legacy Foundation, who praised the company for its long-standing dedication to responsible waste management.

Avecilla also emphasized the impact of raising awareness on the importance of managing waste to prevent them from getting into Philippine waters- through events like ICC. “What we are achieving through these events is the creation of awareness on responsible waste management and educating Filipinos about the EPR Law. In a way, we are appealing to their emotions to help the environment,” he said.

The ICC is renowned as the world’s largest volunteer effort for ocean sanitation, with The Coca-Cola Company serving as a founding member of the Trash Free Seas Alliance since 1995. In partnership with its local bottling partners, the company is engaging employees, consumers, and communities in cleanups, providing resources, grants, and in-kind donations to help remove trash from beaches and waterways.

In the Philippines, Coca-Cola is doing its part to prevent marine debris through community-based initiatives like the Ecosystem Impact Program with Plastic Bank. This initiative helps build collection and recycling systems in communities to prevent plastic bottles from ending up in places where they should not be, while at the same time, empowering workers in the solid waste management sector.

Dhang Tecson, Global Director for Country Operations of Plastic Bank, thanked Coca-Cola Philippines for its annual coastal cleanup activity as well as the company’s invaluable contribution to advancing the circular economy of plastics in the Philippines. “Maganda ‘yung ginagawa ng Coca-Cola kasi hindi lang sa ating mga bahay nasisimulan ‘yung action, kundi pati sa ating komunidad (What Coca-Cola is doing is great because change doesn’t just start in our homes but also in our community),” Tecson said.

Coca-Cola bottles can have many lives

Coca-Cola Philippines President Tony del Rosario emphasized that coastal cleanup activity is part of the company’s wider commitment to help tackle plastic waste. “No one wants to see empty packaging end up where it doesn’t belong. Our World Without Waste program is an ambitious global sustainable packaging strategy that aims to help drive a circular economy for our packaging in the Philippines. Together with our partners, we are making progress with still much more to do,” he said. 

The Coca-Cola Company’s World Without Waste global sustainable packaging strategy aims to collect the equivalent of every can and bottle it sells by 2030, make 100% of its packaging globally recyclable by 2025, use at least 50% recycled plastic in its packaging by 2030, and unite people to support a clean, healthy environment.

In keeping with this, Coca-Cola Philippines has announced new bottles for Coca-Cola Original (190ml and 390ml) and Wilkins Pure (500ml), in addition to Sprite 500ml introduced in 2019. These bottles are produced entirely from recycled PET plastic (rPET). The business also introduced “May Ikabobote Pa” a consumer interaction program designed to inform people about the recycling options available to them. To make it simpler for customers to return their empty bottles, Coca-Cola Philippines is currently extending its network of more than 2,800 recycling drop-off locations around the nation.