Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc. (CCBPI), the bottling arm of Coca-Cola in the country, is accelerating its plastic bottle collection program “Tapon to Ipon: Basta Klaro, Panalo” to benefit more communities nationwide.

Through “Tapon to Ipon,” clear beverage plastic bottles made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are collected to be recycled through PETValue Philippines, the country’s first bottle-to-bottle recycling facility.

In neighborhood stores’ collection hubs first launched in Batangas City and the City of Manila, used PET plastic bottles are being collected and exchanged by community members for incentives (ipon). All “Tapon to Ipon” collection hubs accept all types of clear post-consumer PET plastic beverage bottles, regardless of brand. Underscoring that clear plastic bottles chart higher in recyclability compared to colored ones.

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“Through ‘Tapon to Ipon,’ we want to raise awareness about recycling and we want to do our part in ensuring that plastic packaging materials that are 100% recyclable are collected and used again,” said Gareth McGeown, CEO and president of CCBPI. “At the same time, we’re starting a movement within local communities called World Without Waste.”

World Without Waste

World Without Waste is Coca-Cola’s global goal to collect and recycle 100% of the bottles and cans it sells by 2030, a campaign now finding a pillar in “Tapon to Ipon” and its ability to enjoin every stakeholder within and beyond the Coca-Cola ecosystem.

“Tapon to Ipon” leverages Coca-Cola’s extensive network to collect post-consumer plastic bottles: trade outlets such as neighborhood stores and wholesalers are being tapped to stand as collection hubs. These outlets are also used as collection hubs.

To encourage store owners to participate, Coca-Cola developed an incentive-based strategy that would provide SMEs additional income on top of their sari-sari store business. Consumers also benefit from the program as they receive Coca-Cola products in exchange for the used plastic bottles that they will turn over at the “Tapon to Ipon” sari-sari store hubs.