The zero-waste lifestyle is becoming more popular these days, especially among the younger generation who are already mindful of their role as stewards of nature. But while they are already adopting a zero-waste lifestyle, many of them are interpreting it as literally producing waste.
Fact is, zero waste is about creating a circular economy, in which the products consumed by a community are made to be renewed, reused, repaired or upgraded, and to practically last a long time, to preserve natural resources and, more important, to reduce the product’s impact on the environment.
Creating zero waste is not just about generating less waste, but managing that waste, so that every product made and consumed can be safely returned to nature, instead of ending up in landfills and oceans.
While the zero-waste lifestyle sees a better future for the environment and more sustainable industries, there is still a lot of work to be done among the government and private sector in coming up with viable systems that will make this happen.
Companies can start designing their products or their packaging to become recyclable and reusable, especially if they are made of non-biodegradable materials such as metals and plastics. They can also design their products so that it will need less raw materials from natural resources.
Coca-Cola Philippines is one company that has invested in making its packaging more sustainable. Recently, it introduced the country’s first-ever food-grade PET bottle made of 100-percent recycled material. This is supposed to be the first step toward the beverage company’s global vision of a World Without Waste, the goal of which is to collect and recycle 100 percent of Coca-Cola’s packaging and achieve 50-percent recycled PET bottle usage by 2030.
Another way to help support the zero-waste lifestyle and create a circular economy is to make one’s production and manufacturing processes more efficient so it would use only the necessary amount of raw materials to help replenish natural resources and to prevent generating waste.
There is also a need for proper collection and diversion of recyclable materials so it will not end up in landfills and oceans. Companies, like Coke, have been partnering with communities, schools and other organizations to help set up bins where recyclable materials, such as metals, PET bottles and other plastics, can be efficiently collected.
They can also partner with recycling companies, which can process the collected materials into entirely new products, or into raw materials for different industries. This will give the companies the opportunity to help grow other industries without impacting the environment.
Since last year, a recycling company has been producing chairs, benches and eco-bricks made entirely from PET bottles collected by Coke through various collection points nationwide. The materials are continuously given to sari-sari store owners.
We in the Federation of Philippine Industries are interested in helping create and support this circular economy and zero-waste lifestyle, especially since the Department of Trade and Industry’s Board of Investments, as mandated by Republic Act 9003 or the Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, has been coming up with policies and incentives to encourage companies to invest in green initiatives.
We would like to encourage our member-industries to think of ways on how their products and packaging can be made recyclable and reusable, their manufacturing processes more efficient and environment-friendly, and how they can create and offer green jobs that will help conserve the environment.
Dr. Arranza is the chairman of the Federation of Philippine Industries and Fight Illicit Trade, a broad-based, multisectoral movement intended to protect consumers, safeguard government revenues and shield legitimate industries from the ill effects of smuggling.