Coca-Cola Philippines Expands PET Bottle Collection Program to Strengthen Community Recycling Network

The program consolidates several initiatives, including the “Tindahan Extra Mile,” and now operates over 6,000 collection hubs across the Philippines, providing more accessible drop-off points for plastic bottle recycling in communities nationwide.

Originally launched in 2021 by Coca-Cola Europacific Aboitiz Philippines (formerly Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc.), “Tapon to Ipon” collaborates with sari-sari stores, local governments, and consumers to recover post-consumer clear PET bottles. The collected bottles are sent to PETValue Philippines, located in Cavite Province, where they are processed into food-grade recycled PET (rPET) material.

The program's expansion not only strengthens the collection network but also boosts public engagement through community activities such as the “Dunk, Not Junk” game. Participants can drop off their PET bottles on-site and earn rewards such as beverages and merchandise, fostering active community participation in recycling.

Additionally, the initiative partners with Basic Environmental Systems and Technologies (BEST) and the Philippine Association of Stores and Carinderia Owners (PASCO) to engage micro-retailers. Through the bXTRA app, participating sari-sari stores and carinderias earn points based on the volume of plastics collected, which can be redeemed for cash or products.

Green Transformation Across the PET Industry: Responsibility and Action from Raw Material Producers

While recycling systems continue to improve, upstream PET resin manufacturers are accelerating their green transformation efforts. In recent years, many PET resin producers have focused on sustainable, high-quality development by implementing energy-saving and emission-reduction measures in production. These include innovating energy-intensive equipment, optimizing manufacturing processes, enhancing energy recovery and reuse systems, and increasing the share of renewable energy in total consumption.

At the same time, many enterprises are investing in the development of high-quality recycled PET (rPET) to enable effective resource circulation and support the establishment of a closed-loop, green industry chain for PET bottles throughout their lifecycle.

Industry Perspective: Supporting Green and Low-Carbon Development through PET Production Practices

As a leading enterprise specializing in bottle-grade PET resin, Wankai New Materials Co., Ltd. remains committed to sustainable development and advancing green production transformation. For example, Wankai’s Chongqing production facility, which produced 1.8 million metric tons of bottle-grade PET resin chips in 2024, achieved a renewable electricity usage rate of 17.78%—a leading figure in the chemical and plastics manufacturing sectors. 

Wankai continuously upgrades energy-intensive equipment to improve energy efficiency and implements process optimizations, waste heat recovery, and intelligent control technologies to steadily reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. Drawing from its expertise in sustainable virgin PET production, Wankai also pays close attention to PET waste recycling, laying a solid foundation for diversified material pathways in the future.

Looking ahead, Wankai will continue to strengthen close collaboration with upstream and downstream partners to help the PET industry balance environmental compliance, resource efficiency, and economic benefits, jointly driving the sector toward higher levels of green and low-carbon development.