Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697634870867.pdf (Australia)
Thank you for the opportunity to present a submission to this inquiry.

I am particularly concerned about the impacts of marine plastic pollution, including impacts on species and ecosystems and fisheries.

Many seabirds' young die of starvation when their parents mistake plastic rubbish for food.

Marine turtles, whales and dolphins ingest plastic bags and other plastic rubbish causing blockage of their gut and starvation.
My direct experience of marine plastic rubbish is from participation in many CleanUp Australia events in my Avalon Beach area of Sydney.

Much of the rubbish we collect from Careel Creek and around Careel Bay on the Pittwater estuary is plastic beverage bottles, drinking straws and plastic bags.

A container deposit scheme would reduce beverage container litter.

Banning plastic shopping bags would remove a lot of the soft plastic from the ocean.
Whatever we do to address the marine plastic problem around our coastline will benefit the wider marine environment.

If Australia can lead by example, countries such as Malaysia may follow.

I was recently on the coast of Sabah where the plastic rubbish on beaches even on the tourist resort island of "Survivor Island" , Pulau Tiga, off Kota Kinabalu, was horrendous.
http://www.iisd.ca/oceans/plastics/html/crsvol186num5e.html This link takes you to the Marine Plastic Waste and the Circular Economy Bulletin Volume 186: Summary of the meeting on Marine plastic waste and the circular economy: Building long term solutions to immediate challenges.

.8 March 2015, Washington DC.


Attached is an article on recycling PET bottles in the Phillippines: MISSION PET- RECYCLING PLASTIC BOTTLES IN METRO MANILA M. Y. LLORIN, L. C. VALENCIA and H. ADORENO, Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc. Manila, Philippines.

I hope my submission will assist the inquiry to take action to address the marine plastic problem and I look forward to learning the results of your deliberations.

.
Marita Macrae OAM Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 182 Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 182 MISSION PET- RECYCLING PLASTIC BOTTLES IN METRO MANILA M. Y. LLORIN, L. C. VALENCIA and H. ADORENO Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc. Manila, Philippines INTRODUCTION When Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI) launched the 1.5-Liter PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) package in the Metro Manila market during the last quarter of the Year 2000, there was great optimism in the company.
The single-use PET container had been the package of choice in many other Coke markets around the world and so CCBPI expected nothing less than a resounding success.

The changeover from refillable PET container to non-returnable PET package in the biggest market was a key strategy for the competitiveness and robust growth of the business for Coca Cola in the Philippines.
Its billing was “the everyday convenient package in the supermarket.” With the right price, it was the strategic package for consumers making their purchases in mini-markets and convenience stores.

However, an accompanying challenge of this decision of using non-returnable containers was its potential impact on the already worsening physical environment of Metro Manila.

The vision of a resounding success evoked as well the possible horror of a huge litter.
METRO MANILA GARBAGE CRISIS Metro Manila was then, and still is, in the midst of a garbage crisis.

Mounds of trash with vermin were uncollected and unsanitary waste dumps were being closed due to angry citizens barricading truckloads to prevent garbage from being unloaded in their communities.

The popular cry was “Not in our backyard please!” A study conducted in 1997-1998 by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) found just how serious the problem was.

1.
1.

The study discovered that out of the 5,350 tons generated daily in Manila, only 3,500 tons were collected.

The rest 1,850 tons, or 25%, were being either illegally dumped in vacant lots or thrown into rivers and creeks contributing to flash flooding.

2.

Plastics make up only 16% or about 960 metric tons of the daily tonnage of wastes.

Nevertheless, their ubiquitous presence constantly elicits negative, antagonistic attitudes from environmental watchdogs.
Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 182 3.

Of the total plastics wastes, it was estimated by the Department of Science and Technology, that only about eight metric tons are PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate), the rest being polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl or polystyrene.

4.

Clearly, PET plastics wastes are really smaller in volume when compared to other types of plastics.
The danger lies in that with the high visibility of CCBPI products, combined with the easy-to-recognize logos of the company’s containers, the perception was likely that the impact of post-consumer waste would be largely attributed to CCBPI.
Table 1: Characterization of Solid Wastes in Metro Manila (%) Composition Organic Paper, board Glass Textiles Metals Plastics Miscellaneous Source: Metro Manila Development Authority 1982 40.5 14.5 3.2 1.8 5.8 6.6 27.5 1988 51.2 10.7 2.3 4.8 3.6 9.3 18.0 1997 52 17 3.0 4.0 5.0 16.0 3.0 Philippines Business for Social Progress (PBSP) Study on Garbage in Metro Manila There were difficult issues to confront.
On the one hand, there was the environmental alarm - the very first - raised by the Center for Corporate Citizenship of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) in 1995 during a National Conference on Corporate Citizenship.
A landmark study entitled “Paper, Plastic, and Metal Waste Recycling in Metro Manila” affirmed that “Polyethylene Terephthalate, (Plastic No.1) used in soft drink 2 liter bottles and widely touted as the most recyclable plastic, is not bought by scrap dealers or recyclers at present.
The recycling technology is not available locally.” In a study commissioned by CCBPI to assess the environmental impacts of CCBPI operations, it was noted that developments in the packaging industry “have combined to skew the drift towards convenience packaging.” However, the study also stated that one- way packaging “will contribute to the deteriorating solid waste conditions in the urban centers.” LEGISLATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN THE PHILIPPINES In 2000 and the years preceding it, there were legislative proposals from concerned sectors, mostly NGOs, proposing the outlawing of plastic, labeling it as the precursor, if not the curse, of floods and stinking garbage mounds.
1 Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 182 On the other hand, there were already major legal provisions that favored environmental protection for the people.

These include: 1.

The 1987 Constitution, in Section 16, Article II, explicitly provides that "The State shall protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature."

2.
2.

At the Supreme Court, in the landmark Oposa vs. Factoran case, also known as Minors of the Philippines vs. DENR (1993), "The Right of Future Generations" was highlighted.

The decision established that “…the right to a balanced and healthful ecology…found under the Declaration of Principles and State Policies…concerns nothing less than self-preservation and self-perpetuation.

.
.

.” Paraphrased, the High Court stressed that "the right to a balanced and healthful ecology carries with it the correlative duty” to refrain from impairing the environment; (and that), “every generation has a responsibility to the next to preserve that rhythm and harmony (of nature) for the full enjoyment of a balanced and healthful ecology.” 3.
The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (R.A. 9003), developed and debated extensively in Congress in 2000, and the first legislation signed into a Law by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo fosters the protection of public health and environment and provides for the prohibition, after due process, of non- environmentally acceptable packaging.

4.
4.

The Clean Air Act of 1999 (R.A. 8749) declared that the State recognizes the principle that “polluters must pay…” and that “a clean and healthy environment is for the good of all and should therefore be the concern of all .

.

.” 5.
.

.” 5.

The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act and the Clean Air Act institutionalize Citizen Suits, whereby any citizen shall enjoy the right to bring to court or quasi-judicial bodies “to enjoin all activities in violation of environmental laws and regulations, to compel the rehabilitation and clean up of (the) affected areas, and to seek the imposition of penal sanctions against violators of environmental laws (and regulations) .

.

.” 6.
.

.” 6.

The Consumer Act of the Philippines (R.A. 7394), patterned after Consumer Laws elsewhere, advances the consumers’ right to a clean environment, among the universally enshrined Rights of Consumers.

MISSION PET In this context, what was the appropriate response by CCBPI?

The environmental predicament was clear-cut and the decisions and directions were defining moments of the company management’s assessment of the situation.
2 Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 182 It was amidst this situation, the program Mission PET was born in the last quarter of Year 2000.

PET stands for Pinoy Environment Team to underscore the indigenous Filipino endeavor.

Its objectives are: 1.

To promote recognition of CCBPI’s one-way containers as recyclables and to encourage collection and recovery of these post consumer beverage containers; 2.
To encourage among strategic stakeholders the environmental responsibility through education and information dissemination; 3.

To marshal the youth to undertake collection and recovery of the one-way PET containers and to guide them in linking up with environmentally minded organizations; 4.

To mirror management’s active response to a critical social problem.

Mission PET target audience is a wide spectrum of stakeholders.
People of all ages and walks of life consume Coca-Cola products; obviously, they are also garbage generators.

Trademark as Franchise Among the first order of business was the development of a distinct trademark for Mission PET.
The logo adopted the international symbol of recycling: three chasing arrows forming a triangle, set in a sunburst, then encircled with the words “Please Recycle” and “Pinoy Environment Team.” Below the triangle are the words “Mission: PET” From the moment the inventories of the new PET containers allowed, every PET container was impressed with the Mission: PET trademark.
This was designed to promote recognition and, by implication, to underscore CCBPI’s responsibility and responsiveness to the environment, being the dominant market leader in the consumer beverage products.

To protect our franchise, the Mission: PET trademark was registered with the Government’s Inter-Agency Intellectual Property Office.

Strategies Ed del Rosario, Vice President from the then Commercial Operations Directorate, was appointed as first Project Manager of Mission PET on September 4, 2000.
Immediately a number of questions arose: 1.

If PET container wastes were to be collected and recovered, where would the recovery centers be established and how would they be managed?

2.

Once collected, where would the wastes be kept where would it be forwarded to?

3 Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 182 3.

How would they be processed and where would they flow for economic and profitable purpose?
It was then decided that no recovery center would be sited in any CCBPI compound and that the recovery centers would be located outside and managed by an independent third party.

First Recovery Center Negotiations were subsequently held with several potential strategic partners, with Now Trading Concepts (NTC) of Muntinlupa City eventually selected in the end.
On September 11, 2000, an MOU was signed with NTC management wherein eleven recovery centers were to be set up at selected outlets of Walter Mart, Liana’s Supermarkets, and Tropical Hut Supermarkets from 12 noon to 6 P.M. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Here are the two key elements of the MOU: 1.

NTC would take care of site arrangements, working capital and manning requirements.

2.
2.

CCBPI would be responsible for the recovery booths, the signs and the accompanying information campaign to promote the recovery centers.

Mission PET took off smoothly by September 20, 2000.

This was followed by the opening of ten additional centers by NTC.

In these centers, inclusion of used aluminum beverage cans (UBCs) kicked up collection.

Aluminum’s higher value and volume encouraged active participation by consumers in the recovery program.
Under the program, consumers get a rescue value of P0.50 (fifty centavos) for every PET 1.5-L or 2-L container, or about P11.00 (eleven pesos) per kilo of 18 pieces, and P0.50 (fifty centavos) for every aluminum can, or P31.00 (thirty-one pesos) for every kilo of 62 pieces.

Information Education Campaign For the success of the project, it was necessary to win the acceptance and cooperation of the target population.

This has been mainly achieved through education and information dissemination.
Mission PET thus embarked on a vigorous education campaign through advertising, training seminars, brochures, flyers, streamers, media press releases and feature articles.

The campaign’s goal was to create awareness that post-consumer aluminum cans and PET one-way bottles can be sold to the recovery centers or the junk shops for a price.

Mission PET distributed flyers entitled "Yes You Can!

", "Ang PET Natin", and “Friendly 4 Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 182 PET”.
We invited the junk shops and eco-aides to sell to the Mission PET recovery centers.

And they did.

We brought together the waste consolidators (who did not sell to NTC) and the big buyers of Plastic No.1 such as Valenzuela Pelletized Plastic in Maysan and Marulas Industrial Corporation in Malinta.

The big buyer of aluminum, namely, Reynolds Recycling Corporation in Dasmariñas, Cavite, also linked up with junk shops.
Mission PET conducted “teach – ins” for junk shop owners and their eco-aides for them to recognize PET containers, as distinguished from six other plastic types.

PET containers are marked as No.1 in accordance with the classification of thermoplastic resins by the Society of Plastic Industry of America.
Partnerships and Alliances Guided by this philosophy that “the business of Coca-Cola is relationships,” Mission PET embarked on establishing alliances and relationships with environmentally inclined organizations.

This strategy shepherded Mission PET to a cross-section of a wider society for a sustaining support system.
PET Recycling Task Force was organized in February 2000, as a joint undertaking of the Department of Science and Technology-Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI) and the private sector involved in the processing and use of PET resins and manufacture of PET pre-forms.

The Task Force, now an SEC-registered tripartite body involving Government, the private sector and non-government organizations is promoting education geared towards collection and recovery of post-consumer PET containers.
It is also building up a PET plastics data bank, encouraging home-based PET recycling, and acting in coordination with the Metro Manila Development Authority to help confront the humongous garbage problem.

This March 2002, the Task Force signed a landmark agreement with the National Association of PET Container Resources (NAPCOR) of the United States for reciprocal communication and technical support in the promotion of PET containers collection and recycling.
Through its education and promotion efforts in various events, NAPCOR demonstrates that PET containers recycling can be fun and rewarding.

Mission PET in cooperation with William, Gothong & Aboitiz Philippines is transporting donated UBCs and PET bottles from the shipping company’s 22 ports of call in Visayas and Mindanao.

All collected materials are brought to Tahanang Walang Hagdanan.

WG&A promotes and frequently advertises its companion program dubbed “Give a Can, Give Hope”.
The Department of Education (DepEd), through a memorandum circulated to all regions, enjoined elementary and secondary students to help collect UBCs for donation to TWH.

We supported this with a flyer titled: “Differently Abled Can Do!” 5 Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 182 CCBPI and the Packaging Institute of the Philippines (PIP) co-sponsored an “Art/Design Contest” using post consumer PET bottles as raw materials among college-level Industrial Design students.
Winning entries were then turned over to Tahanang Walang Hagdanan for possible commercial production.

Even CCBPI's “Save the Rivers” program incorporates the Mission PET’s objectives.

In three river rehabilitation initiatives, (1) S3R2 (Save Silang-Sta.

Rosa River), (2) SPARE (Save Parongking River Ecosystem) and (3) SACRED (San Cristobal River Enhancement Defenders), groups from LGUs, schools, NGOs, church and industries have been organized.
The collection of post-consumer aluminum cans and PET bottles is a component of solid waste management initiatives to support the river’s sustenance and recovery to health.

Project Plant Visits In eight CCBPI Plants (Santa Rosa I, Santa Rosa II, Canlubang, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Ilagan and Tacloban), visitors are requested to bring either an empty PET bottle or used aluminum can to serve as their ticket to tour the plant facilities.
Through the program, visitors which were mostly young people were educated on the importance of collecting these containers as a significant step towards recycling.

These manufacturing plants constructed bins and positioned them near their gates to promote the program and to invite public attention.

These plants have chosen the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts as the beneficiaries of this collection drive.

Tahanan’s program for the Disabled To collect a kilo of aluminum, one needs 62 cans.
If you collected only the tabs, as some are wont to do, you need 2,888 pieces of tabs to a kilo, at which point, you would have consumed 120 cases of Coca-Cola!

Tahanan, which provides livelihood to differently abled, and provides an emotional haven to many of their families, has collected about 50 tons of aluminum and PET over the past four years.
Reaching Young People through Young People Laszlo Nagy, Secretary General of the World Scout Bureau in Geneva for 20 years, could not have expressed it any better when he said “Having seen the energy and imagination which young people are capable of applying to our environment problems when concerned, I believe we have the opportunity - for the first time - of educating today's youth to become a generation of citizens and decision-makers incapable of making the disastrous ecological decisions of the past.’ Mission PET has taken full advantage of the zest and drive of the youth.
The Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts of the Philippines, which easily have 3 million members, were 6 Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 182 mobilized to the vigorous collection of PET and Aluminum which they then sell to junk shops to provide them with funds to support their activities.

The Boy Scouts launched Project RED (Recycling for Environment and Development) to encourage troops to participate in the recovery drive.
In the first round of competition among the 105 councils, the Scouts from Metro Manila, Southern Luzon, and Central Luzon and Cebu romped off with the prizes.

CCBPI and Coca-Cola Export Corporation have offered significant contest prizes and have reached an understanding with the leadership of the Scouting Movement - including the Girl Scouts that the collaboration for environmental leadership for the young boys and girls in the movement would be sustained at least for the next five years.
Project “K” (for Kalinisan, Kaunlaran, Kariktan ng Kalooban, at Kapaligiran) was launched by the Girl Scouts in the Metro Manila/Central Luzon area to promote environmental care and growth of personal values.

Winners will be awarded cash prizes in Year 1.

And in the succeeding years, the program will expand to Northern and Southern Luzon, and ultimately to the Visayas and Mindanao areas.
The GSP Council in Santa Rosa District has launched a collection drive to raise funds that will lead up to the construction of their headquarters.

CCBPI’s Plants in Laguna fully support this campaign.

Project SEE (Student Environmental Education) has also been launched to educate the youth on the recyclability of packages in aluminum and PET.

Students in schools in Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao have been briefed under this program.
At the University of the Philippines in Los Baños (Laguna), an undertaking called the Young Environmental Stewards (YES) program has been initiated to promote community involvement in the preservation of Laguna Lake and its 21 tributaries.

YES teaches bright high school students basic environmental consciousness to help them lead other youth to participate in activities such as river rehabilitation.

Mission: PET works with YES graduates in extending this program to other students in Laguna.
Measurable and Concrete Results Clearly, from the grim findings of the mid 90’s (that PET containers were not collected and that there was no PET containers recycling technology in the Philippines), we can declare, today, with modest pride, that Mission: P.E.T.

has contributed substantially to “closing the loop” of recycling.

Recycling of PET Containers 7 Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 182 There is now a PET Recycling Technology present in Metro Manila area.
Forever Fiber Corporation in Pulang Lupa, Valenzuela City, has registered with the Board of Investments and obtained Income Tax Holiday for six years from April 2002 for the annual production of 1,583,733 kilograms of polyester staple fiber, necessary for the production of yarn for industrial garments and fibers.

In Year 1, Forever Fiber will use 1,456 tons of used PET bottles, and by Year 5, it would be needing 2,043 tons of used PET.
Multipet Corporation in Malinta, Valenzuela City produces strapping materials, commonly called “plehe”, from recycled PET wastes.

Such materials are used locally and abroad for strapping boxes or cargoes, such as for mangoes, suha or durian.

Out of its annual output of 460 tons per year, Multipet channels approximately 5% of its output to low-income communities in Malabon and Navotas where enterprising families weave market baskets (bayong), knapsacks and folding beds, for livelihood.
A thriving market exists for 15 large consolidators known as Metro Recycling Association who export every month about 400 tons of PET flakes as feedstock for the enormous non-woven fiber factories in China and Korea to produce polyester.

Polyester is a part of such “sosyal” items as Patagonia bags, Nike shoes, skiers’ windbreakers, jackets, carpets and comforters.
Think about this for a moment: If your outerwear or innerwear trademark says: “Polyester, or Polyester with cotton, or Polyester with rayon” -in all possibility, you are wearing recycled Coca-Cola PET bottles!

Recycling of Aluminum Cans Reynolds Recycling Corporation’s two (2) furnaces in Dasmariñas, Cavite, are, for the moment, silent, shutdown.
But further West in Barangay Osorio, in Trece Martires City, there is Cavite Aluminum Recycling Corp. producing aluminum ingots for the Philippine market and the aluminum alloy requirements of industries in Japan.

In addition, there are dozens of registered - - and unregistered - - converters producing aluminum sheets for cooking woks and claddings - - mostly from recycled aluminum beverage containers.
Today, Metro Manila Linis Ganda’s members and other junk shops - - there are at least 1,200 registered in Metro Manila - - earn handsomely from the collection of PET and UBCs.

So do their eco-aides.

Just look at the tons of collected by the Linis Ganda coops in the years 1999, 2000 and 2001.
Table 2: Metro Manila Linis Ganda Purchase Summary (in tons) 30000 25000 20000 15000 10000 5000 0 1999 2000 2001 Plastic Metal 8 Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 182 Unseen by the public eye are the big warehouses compacting UBCs into 20-kilo blocks for export via container ship to Japan, China, Malaysia, and U.S. Aluminum, by the way, is perpetually recyclable!

And aluminum scrap price is a reference for trading at the London Metal Exchange.
Look at the growth of aluminum scrap exports: Collection by Mission PET Recovery Centers For the past 21 months, the Centers have redeemed 4,200,000 (million) and 3,000,000 (million) pieces of aluminum and PET containers, respectively.

That’s what we have directly scooped out of the waste stream.
14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 F M A M J J A S O N D D- 00 'J- 01 Table 3: Mission PET Recovery Centers Collection in 2001(in tons) PET Cans 9 Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 182 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Table 4: Mission: P.E.T.

Recovery Centers Collection in 2002 (in tons) In 2001, Philippines exported 23,053 tons of aluminum scrap with a value of US$416,145,305.
25000 20000 15000 10000 5000 0 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 Source: Board of Investments Table 5: Aluminum Scrap Exports (in tons) Cans PET 10 Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 182 For PET, the country recovered about 5,040 metric tons in 2001 from the 24,000 metric tons that we generated in the form of resin, pre-form and bottle container.

That is a recovery rate of 21 percent!


25 20 15 10 5 0 PET 1999 2000 2001 Table 6: Recovery Rate of PET (in percentage) Recognition and Awards Owing to its concrete results, Mission PET has earned recognition and garnered awards both internationally and nationally during its relatively short period of operations.

Internationally, it was recognized by the American Society for Professional Communicators based in New York, in 2001.
In the same year, Mission PET received the Merit Award from the International Association of Business Communicators.

This year, it was named as a “Success Story” in the Environment by the Pollution Control Officers Association of the Philippines (PCAPI) during its National Convention in Subic Bay.
THE FUTURE CHALLENGE Sustaining the program through the future is the greatest challenge of Mission PET, as the usage of plastic beverage containers is being expanded from Metro Manila and Luzon to the distant markets of Visayas and Mindanao.

The key element in that sustainable development is the consistent and visible presence of buyers and markets for used PET containers and aluminum cans.
Our clear task therefore is to continue fostering recognition, awareness, and alliances and partnerships between and among collectors, small buyers and the big consolidators, exporters and recyclers.

Mission PET hopes to muster an even greater number of stakeholders into becoming environmentally-conscious 11 Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 182 citizens and in making a commitment to do the right thing for society and the environment.
APPENDICES APPENDIX A: PET RECYLING LOOP YOU’RE HERE Customer/ Consumer BSP, GSP,WG&A, Dept of Ed, TWH Collect PET bottles MISSION: P.E.T.

RECOVERY CENTERS/Linis Ganda/BROKERS/ CONSOLIDATORS Redeem/recover P.E.T.

bottles P.E.T.

EXPORTERS Convert P.E.T.


bottles into flakes for processing/ 12 PET RECYCLERS Convert PET flakes into new products Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 182 APPENDIX B: Basic facts about PET PET or polyethylene terephthalate is the familiar soft plastic popularly used in myriad consumer and household products because of its lightweight, clarity and shatter- resistance.

It is a polymer, a kind of plastic.


Among the seven classifications of plastic, PET is coded “1” in the international recycling logo.

(See Appendix C.) The marking, made by the U.S. Society of Plastic Industry, is found at the bottom of the container to facilitate its segregation and recycling.

This environment-friendly packaging has the distinction of being the easiest to recycle.
It is commonly used for food and beverages, particularly bottled water, carbonated drinks, condiments and sauces, cooking oil, tea, milk, peanut butter, mayonnaise and dressings.

It is also used for liquor and beer, detergents, pesticides, shampoo, lotion, gel, egg crates and semiconductors.

Considering PET’s wide use, we can expect a big volume of discarded PET containers which can otherwise be prevented from unnecessarily clogging landfills since PET is very recyclable.
PET, being lightweight, makes a big difference in package preference.

A study by Tellus Institute of Boston, Massachusetts, USA, a research organization specializing in the environment, gave the conclusion after comparing and analyzing package impacts that packages with the lightest weight were found to be the best for the environment.

In almost every case, the lightest package per unit of contents makes the most minimal impact on the environment.
PET Facts This soft plastic was discovered after World War II as thermoplastic polyester.

It was first used as a textile fiber in mixture with cotton and linen.

In 1976, the first PET bottle was used as a beverage container in the United States.

In 1986, the first wide-mouth PET jars were produced, revolutionizing the packaging industry.

PET resin was first used in the Philippines in 1988 when CCBPI launched the 2-Liter PET bottle for Coke.
In 1995, Philippine records showed the absence of PET recovery and recycling activities despite its popular demand as a packaging material.

This was attributed to lack of information on its recyclability.
Here are some weights equivalents: • Eighteen 2 Liter bottles are equivalent to one kilo of PET • Five 2 Liter bottles can produce fiber for one extra-large T-shirt • Five 2 Liter bottles can form one square foot of carpet • Twenty-five 2 Liter bottles are needed to make one sweater (nonwoven) • Five 2 Liter bottles are needed for one jacket PET Export Firms buying ground PET locally export it as raw material to other countries, which have the technology for recycling it into new containers and other products.
Developed countries have been converting PET into polyester to make what they call second- 13 Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 182 generation products.

You may not know it, but you may be wearing something made out of a recycled PET bottle.

That is because PET is recycled in other countries into non- woven garments, such as undergarments for men and women.

Would you believe?
Would you believe?

PET is also used for making fabric for T-shirts, jackets, sweaters, windbreakers, sleeping bags, upholstery, casual and athletic shoes, fiberfill, cassette tapes, carpets, industrial strapping, bumpers and automotive parts.

PET Import The Philippines imports 24,000 metric tons of PET materials annually in the form of resin; pre-form sheets and finished packaging products.
The resin, pre-forms and sheets are transformed into 22,592 metric tons of bottles/containers for food and nonfood application, and packaging materials for electronic products.

PET Recovery The amount of industrial and post-consumer waste generated in 2001 is 5,040 metric tons, resulting in a 21% recovery rate of PET plastic waste.

A big quantity of this is exported abroad in flake form.

Only a small quantity is recycled into plastic packaging straps, folding beds and bags.
The major players in the collection and retrieval of PET industrial and post-consumer waste are the junk shops, PET consolidators and recyclers.

Majority of the PET manufacturers recycles about 10% of their industrial waste.

PET Sources The Philippine’s PET packaging requirements are all acquired through importation.

We import from Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Taiwan and the United States.

PET importation for the past five years shows an upward trend.
There are 22 PET manufacturers/fabricators making bottles/containers and electronic packaging materials.

Fourteen of these plants are located in Metro Manila, four in Laguna, one in Batangas, two in Cebu and one in Davao.

PET Waste Plastics constitute 16% of the total wastes generated.

Since most of it is recyclable, a large population benefits from the overall recycling cost of plastic waste.

There are two types of PET waste generated in the solid waste stream: post-industrial and post- consumer.
Post-industrial PET waste These are rejects from the processing of resin into the finished products, such as bottles/containers, rejects from the processing of preforms to stretch blow molding into bottles/containers, and trimmings from the thermoforming of products from sheets/rolls.

Post-industrial waste is clean and easily segregated, identified or defined.

The country 14 Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 182 generated a total of 576 metric tons of industrial waste in 2001.
The following practices followed in dealing with this type of waste are selling to scrap buyers, remixing with virgin materials, selling directly to exporters/consolidators and recycling it back into bottles.

Post-consumer PET waste This type of waste is reclaimed from eco-aides or push cart boys, directly from garbage bins, materials recovery facilities, junk shops, plastic consolidating and recycling plants, and dumpsites.

Comparatively, this is dirty waste and may even be contaminated.
The two methods of disposal of PET waste are (1) exporting the flakes to neighboring countries in Asia – Taiwan, Hong Kong, China and Singapore – and (2) recycling.

Multipet Plastic Enterprises in Metro Manila is the only company which recycles post- consumer and post-industrial PET waste by converting it into packaging straps, market bags, ladies bags and folding beds.

(Recently, Forever Fiber Corp. registered its recycling business with the Board of Investments.)
Appendix C: The Seven Types of Plastics commonly used in the Philippines 1.

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Common uses: soft drink bottles, cooking oil bottles, peanut butter jugs, water bottles 2.

High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Common uses: detergent bottles, milk jugs, grocery bags 3.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Common uses: plastic pipes, outdoor furniture 4.

Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Common uses: produce bags, food storage containers 5.
Polypropylene (PP) Common uses: aerosol caps, drinking straws 6.

Polystyrene (PS) Common uses: packaging pellets, cups, meat trays 7.

Others Common uses: certain kind of food containers Source: Society of Plastics Industry of America 15 Threat of marine plastic pollution in AustraliaSubmission 182