PCX Celebrates 16 Philippine Companies for 100% Plastic Footprint Recovery

PCX Markets recently held their PULSE event, where they honored 16 Philippine organizations that have committed to achieving 100% recovery of their plastic footprint for 2025, marking a significant step toward responsible production and sustainable practices.

From everyday packaging to industrial waste, the world has produced more than 9 billion tons of plastic, far more than our planet can handle. Of all the plastic ever made, only about 9% of plastic waste is recycled, 19% incinerated, and 72% landfilled, openly burned, or ends up in the environment. In response, PCX is taking accountability for plastic waste and working to reduce the harmful impacts of the plastic pollution crisis. Guided by its mission to ensure no plastic ends up in nature, PCX is driving the nation’s shift toward a circular economy where plastic is recovered and re-circulated as useful materials through reuse, refurbishment, remanufacture, recycling and more.

With the passage of the Republic Act No. 11898 or the Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) Act of 2022, large companies in the Philippines are required to take responsibility for the post-consumer management of their plastic packaging waste.

Through PCX, Obliged Enterprises are fulfilling their obligations to collect and responsibly process the plastic packaging waste they put out into the market. PCX Markets works hand-in-hand with PCX Solutions to provide end-to-end EPR compliance support, from footprint accounting to implementation and reporting, empowering companies to design effective reduction and recovery strategies and meet EPR Law requirements. 

This year, the organizations that have committed to achieve the equivalent of 100% plastic recovery of their plastic packaging footprint for the compliance year 2025 include Beko Pilipinas Corporation, Century Pacific Food, Inc., Concepcion Durables, Inc., Concepcion Midea, Inc., Concepcion-Carrier Air Conditioning Company, Concepcion Industrial Corporation - Cortex Technologies Corporation, Domino’s Pizza Philippines, Generation Hope, Inc. (HOPE), General Odyssey, Inc., L’Oréal Philippines Inc., Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation, Monde Nissin Corporation, Mondelez Philippines, Inc., Mr. DIY, The Pacific Meat Company Incorporated, and Wild Flour Bakery + Cafe Corp., modeling the kind of leadership and action we need to see more broadly across the private sector to tackle this urgent challenge.

“The leaders we honored today show that responsible action is possible. When companies commit to verified recovery of 100% of their plastic footprint, we can turn the tide on plastic waste and create lasting impact for people and planet,” said Ms. Nanette Medved-Po, Founder and Executive Chair of HOPE and PCX.

PCX Markets offers an end-to-end suite of plastic responsibility tools, including packaging EPR compliance software, verified resins, and a transparent platform for purchasing verified plastic credits that fund the collection, transport, and responsible processing of plastic waste to help companies achieve their plastic recovery goals.

Last year, PCX Markets successfully enabled the diversion of 160 million kilograms of plastic waste from around the world, through 44 projects and 238 companies in 14 countries, including the Philippines. 

To know more about PCX and its mission, please visit https://www.pcxmarkets.com/ or follow PCX on LinkedIn for more updates.

Young Innovators Hack Solutions to Marine Plastic Litter this World Oceans Day

This June 8, World Ocean’s Day, seasoned hackers, tech enthusiasts, and young innovators will hack solutions to the country’s pressing marine plastic litter problem at the Plastic 3R Hacks PH Grand Finals. 

Plastic 3R Hacks PH is a nationwide virtual hackathon that aims to harness solutions to marine plastic pollution in the Philippines. More than 150 participants representing cities and universities across the country registered for the competition. The participants went through a series of virtual activities such as a pre-hack event, mentoring sessions, and project development. Eighteen qualifying teams went through a preliminary judging which selected the top ten teams who will advance to the virtual Grand Finals.

These ten youth teams from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, will showcase their innovative solutions to reuse, reduce, and recycle plastics and plastic waste. From technology solutions such as open sources recycling system, AI-based rewards-system waste segregation app for individuals and households, and mobile application monitoring and grading tool for local government units, to disruptive non-tech ideas like business concepts for creative upcycling process, the virtual event will highlight some of the brightest ideas to save our oceans by reducing marine plastic litter. 

The teams will present their solutions to a panel of local and international judges from the national government, NGOs, and the private sector.

“Major adjustments had to be done to run a hackathon in the new normal, and our teams pulled through. The youth’s creativity and passion to come up with innovative ideas – especially to issues as serious as marine plastic litter- should not stop because of the pandemic,” said Elaine Cedillo, Hackathon Master and Founder of Red Wizard Event Technology. 

Based on a 2010 baseline study*, even though the Philippines has among the highest trash collection rates in Southeast Asia, it has become the world’s third largest source of marine litter. 

Christopher Rollo, Country Programme Manager of UN-Habitat Philippines said, “our country is an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands, and more than 70% of our cities are along the rivers and coasts – our way of life is very much tied to our rivers, coasts, and seas. We cannot have a better quality of life if we do not ensure the protection and better quality of the waters around us. We are glad that we have bright young minds who join us in keeping our oceans healthy, and our cities clean.” 

Plastic 3R Hacks PH Grand Winner will receive P50,000 cash prize, Runner Up will receive P20,0000. Aside from the cash prizes, all teams have opportunities for possible funding and development of their solutions for real life application. 

Plastic 3R Hacks PH is organized by Redwizard Events Technology in close collaboration with the Healthy Oceans and Clean Cities Initiative, a project funded by the Government of Japan and being implemented by UN-Habitat Philippines, which aims to enable local governments and communities in the Philippines to reduce marine plastic pollution. Plastic 3R Hacks PH is sponsored by Aboitiz Construction, Unionbank Philippines, and Nestle Philippines. 

For more information or media inquiries, visit www.facebook.com/Plastic3RHacksph or contact Hackathon Master Elaine Cedillo at ebcedillo@gmail.com.