By the year 2025, San Miguel Corporation commits to reduce its usage of water by 50% in all of its industries.
That goal, which started in 2016, is part of SMC’s “Water for All” sustainability project that aims to reduce domestic and utility use of water across the company’s beverage, food, packaging, power, infrastructure and fuel businesses.
Earlier last year, the company announced its progress by reducing 23% in 2018, beating its stated goal to reduce water consumption by 20% in 2020.
“This is a significant milestone for us and we’re highly encouraged by these results,” said SMC President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon S. Ang.
“It was only the second year since we announced this major sustainability goal, and already, the effort and commitment of those in our company tasked with making this goal a reality, have started to pay off,” added Ang.
Among SMC’s objectives were to eliminate wastage of water across their operations, reuse and recycle more water, reduce the usage of ground and surface water, protect vital water resources, and harvest rainwater.
More than its water sustainability project, SMC also partnered with Philippine Bioresins Corporation, a small but innovative company that has successfully developed and tested biodegradable plastics.
This is to take the initiative of utilizing fully-certified biodegradable plastic packaging.
“We have always been looking for innovative environmental technologies and we are excited about this development. We are looking forward to using biodegradable plastics, and this is just the beginning as they are developing other technologies in this field,” Ang said.
Another milestone for SMC was achieved in November 2019 when the company introduced the country’s first recycled plastics road.
Asphalt made of plastics, combined with bitumen, were placed on a pilot test site in a new logistics center in General Trias, Cavite with an area of 1,500-sqms. Almost 900 kilos of plastic wastes that included plastic sachets and bags were used for the asphalt.
The test site was chosen as it will be used primarily as a marshaling area for trucks with heavy loads, including 18-wheelers and heavy equipment.
“What we want to achieve is to help address an important environmental issue, and that is plastic wastes. We want to create a sustainable use for waste plastics so that they don’t end up in landfills and our rivers and oceans,” shared Ang.
The use of plastic wastes in the production of asphalt will not just help save the environment from plastic pollution, but can also make the road longer-lasting and more durable.