{"id":10216,"date":"2025-05-06T19:22:42","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T11:22:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/?p=10216"},"modified":"2025-05-06T19:22:44","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T11:22:44","slug":"pepsico-continues-its-plastic-waste-diversion-in-ph","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/pepsico-continues-its-plastic-waste-diversion-in-ph\/","title":{"rendered":"PepsiCo continues its plastic waste diversion in PH"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>PepsiCo continues to proactively find solutions to address plastic waste and invest in solutions that benefit communities and the environment. In 2024, as part of its broader pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) ambition to drive sustainable change across its value chain, PepsiCo joined hands with Evergreen Labs Philippines to support solid waste collection and diversion efforts through its Loop Lokal program\u2014strengthening local systems and advancing progress toward a circular economy.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>pep+ aims to drive action and progress across three key pillars\u2014Positive Agriculture, Positive Value Chain, and Positive Choices\u2014bringing together PepsiCo\u2019s efforts under a comprehensive sustainability framework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cPlastic waste is a complex challenge, and addressing it requires steady, collaborative effort. Through our partnership with Evergreen Labs, we\u2019re taking a practical step to strengthen local waste systems while avoiding harmful practices like open burning or co-processing. Instead, we\u2019re supporting a model that upcycles plastic waste into something of value\u2014driving better environmental outcomes and meaningful impact for local communities,\u201d said Aditya Ahuja, General Manager, PepsiCo, Malaysia and Philippines (Foods).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2024, the Loop Lokal Program was launched across Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Cebu, Iloilo, and Guimaras Island, activating 11 communities and diverting over 180 metric tons of plastic waste. The program validated the effectiveness of a bottom-up, community-driven recycling model that empowers local government units (LGUs) and residents to expand existing environmental programs with targeted support from the private sector. By alleviating the financial burden of incentivizing community participation, the model promotes shared responsibility and demonstrates a scalable, replicable solution for a broader environmental impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A critical component of the Loop Lokal Program is PepsiCo\u2019s investment in strengthening sorting and segregation infrastructure, particularly at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Bi\u00f1an City, Laguna. Previously operating at limited capacity, the Bi\u00f1an Ecopark is now being transformed into a hub suited for growth\u2014with our investment enabling the addition of advanced equipment, including the installation of a mechanized sorting line, baling machine, and plastic crushing equipment. These enhancements aim to improve the site\u2019s operational efficiency, streamlined material flow, and increased its capacity for pre-processing and recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This infrastructure investment drives market efficiency by reducing leakages in the waste value chain and laying the groundwork for a replicable, scalable model of municipal waste recovery. Most importantly, it strengthens the collection and diversion infrastructure needed for the Philippines to meet its increasing targets under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Across the 11 communities, Evergreen Labs Philippines implemented a range of community-centric engagement activities\u2014from offering food incentives for plastic donations to partnering with LGUs and local organizations to strengthen existing waste diversion systems. The collected plastic waste was processed by local partners and upcycled into boards, lumber, and bricks\u2014products that are now being used and sold locally, creating livelihoods and keeping value within the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cFunding from companies like PepsiCo makes it possible for us to design models that directly engage communities in sustainable waste management and environmental conservation. These efforts generate livelihoods, strengthen government systems, and ultimately keep tons of plastic waste out of our oceans and landfills,\u201d shared Erica Cardoso, Managing Director of Evergreen Labs Philippines.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Loop Lokal Program between Evergreen Labs Philippines and PepsiCo is slated to continue in 2025.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>pep+ aims to drive action and progress across three key pillars\u2014Positive Agriculture, Positive Value Chain, and Positive Choices\u2014bringing together PepsiCo\u2019s efforts under a comprehensive sustainability framework.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":10217,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[220,217],"class_list":["post-10216","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-product-showcase","tag-corporate-social-responsibility","tag-sustainability"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10216","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10216"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10216\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10218,"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10216\/revisions\/10218"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10217"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10216"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10216"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10216"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}