Philippines as emerging market for green packaging and recycling technologies

Southeast Asian countries are dynamic markets for packaging given the growing population of consumers whose demand has been fueling innovations in this sector. Beyond aesthetics, consumers in the region are showing increased awareness on the environmental impact of plastic packaging that the use of sustainable materials and advanced recycling technologies are fast gaining acceptance.

The 2023 ASEAN Plastics Packaging and Recycling Technologies Summit, held from October 26-27 in Manila, served as a gathering of international and Philippine-based industry experts to discuss trends and developments in plastic packaging production as well as recycling. The hybrid conference provided an ideal venue where industry professionals learned the latest packaging design and production techniques from well-known experts in the field. More important, proper plastic waste management and recycling technologies were discussed to pave the way for the packaging industry to achieve circularity.

Organised by Ringier Events, the Summit is one of the series of post-pandemic hybrid conferences in Southeast Asia that were held in such key cities as Ho Chi Minh, Bangkok and Jakarta. The Manila Summit brought together in one venue the industry’s key players and representatives from various associations and institutions along with leading international companies’ representatives.

The Summit was supported by major players in the plastics industry - Dow through the Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics, FIMIC Srl, Ever Polymer Co., Ltd., Guangzhou Tyrone Environmental Technology Co., Ltd and Plastic Bank, as well as by leading association/agency such as the Department of Science and Technology- Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI) and Association of Petrochemical Manufacturers of the Philippines (APMP). Members and representatives from industry associations also came in full force – the Asian Packaging Federation (APF), the Philippine Philippine Plastics Industry Association (PPIA), and the Philippine Alliance for Recycling and Materials Sustainability (PARMS).

From packaging design to recycling – insights from the experts

The Summit has served as a platform for information exchange and networking with industry experts sharing their valuable insights on the latest trends in production and recycling. On the first day of the conference, information-packed presentations provided valuable inputs to increase the knowledge of delegates on the issues surrounding packaging design, production techniques, waste management and recycling.

The newly elected President of the Asian Packaging Federation, Dr. Joseph Ross Jocson, started off the sessions by identifying the key opportunities in the Philippine packaging industry during the post-pandemic era. Dr. Jocson has many years of experience in the packaging industry and his valuable take on the packaging directions globally that will impact local production offer professionals in this sector an interesting overview on product design and manufacturing technologies. Mr. Aaron Timothy Lao, President of the Philippine Plastics Industry Association (PPIA) provided an overview on the Philippine plastics industry, the demand for sustainable materials and its move towards a circular economy, a topic that has been consistently prominent in the industry. He also discussed the efforts of the plastics industry in promoting waste management and recycling. The representative from the Association of Petrochemical Manufacturer of the Philippines (APMP), Mr. Rolando Marasigan Jr., talked about the current Philippine National Standard governing plastics recovery and recycling. Mr. Marasigan is also the Group Product Manager of JG Summit Olefins Corporation, which is one of the members of the APMP.

Every Polymer Co., Ltd (Everlon) was represented by its Sales Manager, Mr. Vincent Liao, who explained how thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) have taken a major leap forward in food packaging, easy peel films, moisture absorption and beverage cap solutions. Mr. Liao has been in the post for over 7 years, developing TPE for the adhesive market and a wide range of industry fields. The presentation of Mr. Ivan Pan, Regional Sales Manager of FIMIC Srl, focused on FIMIC’s automatic melt filtration technologies for post-consumer plastics recycling and its benefits to recyclers. FIMIC has been innovating in this area and its breakthrough melt filtration technologies offer cost-efficient and sustainable recycling option.

The path to a sustainable future was the main focus of the presentation by Ms. Uyen Mai, Southeast Asia Senior Sustainability Manager of Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics. Ms. Mai covered the market trends on packaging and how Dow has inspired to meet the world’s toughest challenges through its materials science and innovative solutions to achieve a sustainable future. Another interesting presentation by Mr. Denis Ragos Ty, Senior Business Development Manager of Plastic Bank, tackled the issue of plastic waste by reviewing the value in plastic through social recycling. Plastic Bank empowers Ocean Stewards to stop ocean plastic. Its ethical collection communities exchange plastic for life improving benefits. Exchanges are recorded through a blockchain-secured platform that enables traceable collection, secures income and verifies reporting.

The impact of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Law on plastic packaging and recycling, and what it means for manufacturers was discussed by Mr. Roberto Guevara, Vice President of the Philippine Alliance for Recycling and Materials Sustainability (PARMS). Mr. Guevara also provided an overview on the efforts of PARMS and its members in supporting the move towards a circular economy model through

The design for green packaging was the focus of the presentation by Prof. Ana Ma Veronica Arquiza-Solano, Packaging Designer and Consultant/ Faculty at the School of Environment & Design De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Manila. Prof. Solano tackles the issue of how product packaging can meet the environmental challenges while responding to the preferences of consumers in terms of performance and functionality. Mr. Saar Herman, CTO from ASM Global and Green Antz Builders, provided an interesting discussion on how physical and digital platforms can be combined for effective circularity. He cited the example of the two companies and how these are able to embark on the quest towards proper plastic waste management, collection, recycling and upcycling.

The second day of the Summit continued to provide participants with relevant presentations on how to achieve sustainable packaging. The discussion by DOST-ITDI’s Science Research Specialist, Dr. Angel Basbasan, centered on the Department of Science and Technology- Industrial Technology Development Institute’s Green Packaging Laboratory (GPL) and how this has been instrumental in elevating the packaging alternatives in the Philippines by promoting innovations in this sector. The GPL supports research on packaging options, alternative packaging materials, and green and sustainable technologies for manufacturers and end-user might want to consider. Studies include all types of packaging materials, bioplastics and other new materials from renewable sources, all aimed at moving towards a circular economy.

Recent technological breakthroughs in developing sustainable packaging and recycling were the focus of the succeeding presentations. The virtual presentation on advanced recycling technology – pyrolysis  and how it enables cost-effective operations by Mr. Suhas Dixit, CEO of APChemi, has drawn interest among the delegates. India-based APChemi is a leader in robust pyrolysis and pyrolysis oil purification purification technology and has received recognitions for its innovation. Krones Filipinas, Inc., a member of the Krones Group, was represented by Engr. Rodelio Espinos, Head of Sales. Krones, a German packaging and bottling machine manufacturer provides lines for filling beverages in plastic and glass bottles or beverage cans, with solutions for sustainable packaging production. Mr. Mervin Fonseca, Solutions & Engagement Director-Technical Engagement of GS1 Philippines Inc., tackled a crucial topic – innovations to support the circular economy. GS1 barcodes enable traceability and GS1 standards are the most widely used system of standards in the world. GS1 offers a portfolio of services and tools to further enhance the move towards a circular economy.

The prospects of the Philippines as an ideal site for plastic packaging and recycling operations were presented by Mr. Joey Roi Bondoc, Associate Director of Colliers. In his discussion, Mr. Bondoc looked at the opportunities for packaging manufacturing, trends and demands for packaging products and growth opportunities for those going into this manufacturing sector.

Factory visit: Manly Plastics

The factory tour that capped the two-day Summit was held at the facilities of Manly Plastics, Inc. in Metro Manila. Manly Plastics is the largest provider of end-to-end plastic product solutions in the Philippines – capable of everything from mould engineering to fabrication, mass production to decoration. And in the spirit of its founder’s infinite persistence, Manly Plastics strives each day to enhance its design, fabrication and production capabilities. It retains its reputation for competence, trustworthiness, and reliability to compete on a global scale; regularly supplying plastic parts and products to top Asian and American brands from a wide spectrum of industries.

The delegates were given an orientation by Mr. Jonathan Co, Sales and Marketing Manager of Manly Plastics. Mr. Co also toured the delegates around the facilities – starting from the mould design, preparation and fabrication sections. The delegates were shown aspects of the company’s operations and how it has been involved in plastic waste management, recycling and upcycling. Questions posed by the participants were answered by Mr. Co whose experience and expertise in plastics production has enabled the delegates to gain a wealth of knowledge.