Manila, Philippines—In its
latest initiative to comply with the Extended Producer Responsibility Act of
2022 (EPR Law), Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC) has entered new
partnerships with four leading Filipino waste management organizations. The
food industry giant formalized its commitment to a more sustainable future at a
Memorandum of Agreement signing ceremony with Basic Environmental Systems and
Technologies (BEST), Envirotech, Plastic Credit Exchange (PCX), and Republic
Cement last September 1, 2023, at APC Makati head office.
The EPR Law
mandates companies to take more responsibility for the disposal and recycling
of their products throughout their life cycle, which includes post-consumer
waste management. Obliged enterprises like APC must ensure that they do their
part in recovering, diverting, and recycling plastic waste generated from the
use of their products. These policies aim to mitigate and manage the macro
effects and impact of post-consumer plastic waste on the environment.
APC saw the
enactment of the EPR Law as an opportunity to supplement their current
environmental stewardship projects. The company immediately sought partnerships
with organizations that would not only help make their sustainability efforts
more feasible, but also inspire new initiatives for a more environmentally
sound future for the Philippines.
To aid with the
collection of post-consumer packaging, APC tapped BEST, a waste management consulting company established in 1999.
BEST founded the Trash-to-Cashback program operating in different parts of the
Philippines and the MyBasurero App that encourages waste collection through an
incentivized system.
Since 2010, Envirotech
has built multiple materials recovery and processing facilities nationwide,
with facilities that turn low-quality soft/flexible plastic waste into construction
and furniture grade materials.
PCX is widely known for
pioneering the Plastic Pollution Reduction Standard, which allows for the
management of pledges from companies and institutions to clean up their plastic
footprints and be awarded Plastic Neutrality Certifications for their efforts.
Their aim is to protect the ocean by collecting and processing solid waste
found in our waters, while providing livelihood opportunities to women in
vulnerable communities through their Aling
Tindera Program.
Completing APC’s
new set of collaborations is Republic
Cement, who launched the Ecoloop program
that encourages waste recovery and processing from collecting, segregating, and
shredding of viable solid waste to be used as Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF).
During the
ceremony, Mr. Ernesto Carlos, APC’s Chief Sustainability Officer further
assured that APC, alongside its partners who signed the Memorandum of
Agreement, will put up unwavering efforts for future generations of Filipinos.
“We encourage all
companies to embrace the EPR Act and take a proactive approach to managing
their plastic footprint,” Carlos said. “By working together, we can make a
positive impact on the environment and create a more sustainable future for
all.”
Towards the realization
of its goal of reducing environment impact by 2030, APC has been actively
finding solutions to reduce plastic waste. The company has launched in the
market the first-ever seasoning product in paper packaging, the AJI-NO-MOTO®
Umami Seasoning 45g which is made from natural and renewable paper material
that can be planted, grown, harvested, and replanted. While the group
has launched initiatives facilitated within their production processes, it has
also introduced sustainability education under the #IlabasAngSustainAbilidad campaign which harnesses the reach of Ajinomoto Philippines’
social media pages.
With the expertise
of their four new partners, the implementation of APC Group’s sustainable
practices and the promotion of eco-friendly lifestyles are now on a larger
scale toward building sustainable communities.
The Ajinomoto Group is a global company with
specialties in the business of food and amino acids, guided by our leading-edge
bioscience and fine chemical technologies.
Based on the corporate message “Eat Well, Live
Well.”, we have been scientifically pursuing the possibilities of amino acids
in supporting the healthy lives of people all around the world. We aim for
future growth and continuous contribution to greater wellness by creating value
through sustainable and innovative solutions for communities and society.
----------------
The Ajinomoto Group has offices in 36
countries and regions, and sells products in more than 130 countries and
regions. In fiscal 2021, sales were 1.1149 trillion yen (8.73 billion U.S.
dollars). To learn more, visit www.ajinomoto.com.
0 Comments