PET BOTTLES RECYCLING as SWM

UC Nursing CESDEV is putting into action what was espoused during the series of Solid Waste management seminars. In a tie-up with San Miguel Corporation (SMC), PET bottles were collected by student nurses and are submitted to CESDEV office. This is intended to make the campus clean and at the same time, deliver these PET bottles to SMC which has the recycling capabilities.

SMC is setting up a P6.7-billion recycling project to produce environment-friendly packaging materials for the local food and beverage industries using PET or polyethylene terephthalate. PET is that soft plastic or polymer popularly used for containers of mineral water, and various food and household items. It is the preferred packaging because of its light weight, clarity, and shatter resistance. It also ranks as the most recyclable packaging material in the world today.

The main processing plant being constructed in San Fernando, Pampanga, is nearing completion. It will have conversion operations in Batangas, Cebu, Misamis Oriental, Davao, and Pampanga. The plant is scheduled to operate commercially in May 2004. PET is already being recycled abroad into second-generation products, such as T-shirts, windbreakers, sleeping bags, carpets and athletic shoes, among other things.

Collection of PET bottles is an ongoing nationwide campaign with the support of existing bottle collectors and SMC’s subsidiary, Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc., on the crest of its successful “Mission P.E.T.” project launched in 2000.

The first of its kind in Asia, SMC’s PET recycling plant will open doors of opportunity in the community through direct employment and contracting services in line with the Corporation’s economic and environmental thrusts.