Greiner Packaging partners with Plastic Bank to open plastic collection centers in the Philippines
Plastic Bank is empowering the world to stop ocean plastic. It builds ethical recycling ecosystems in coastal communities and reprocesses the materials for reintroduction into the global manufacturing supply chain. Plastic Bank’s collectors receive a bonus for the plastic they collect, providing an increased income they can count on. This recycled material is called “Social Plastic” because it provides both an environmental and social benefit. Greiner Packaging is committed to supporting the activation of five collection points in Manila, Philippines.
The Philippines is the world’s third-largest producer of plastic waste, after China and Indonesia. An estimated 2,000,000 metric tons of plastic end up in the ocean each year just in the Philippines. Experts believe that the country’s Pasig River is alone responsible for introducing nearly 64,000 metric tons of plastic waste into the ocean every year. As a packaging company, Greiner Packaging is aware of its responsibility toward nature and society and ocean pollution is considered one of the greatest environmental challenge society faces today. “We are a family business. As such, we’ve made it our mission to preserve our world for future generations. This is a very ambitious goal, of course, and we’re doing everything we can to help achieve it,” says Manfred Stanek, CEO of Greiner Packaging.
Stopping ocean plastic, fighting poverty
When Greiner Packaging began its search for a project partner to fight marine littering, Plastic Bank quickly stood out. “Collecting plastic refuse combats poverty in addition to cleaning up the environment and making a key contribution toward a circular economy. Our shared goal is to prevent plastic from flowing into the oceans while lifting people out of poverty,” explains Stanek. Plastic Bank is revealing the value in plastic. Collectors no longer see plastic as waste, but rather as a valuable resource. This is a vital step toward stopping ocean plastic pollution. By providing collectors access to increased income, educational opportunities, and necessities, Plastic Bank is empowering disenfranchised communities to build a better future – not just in the Philippines, but also in Haiti, Indonesia, Brazil and Egypt.
caption: Michael Frick (Global Key Account Director at Greiner Packaging) and Theresa Wieser (Marketing Manager) at the opening of Greiner Packaging’s first plastic collection center in Manila, Philippines
