Suntory PepsiCo Thailand Join Forces with Six Allies to unveil PRO-Thailand Network Driving Sustainable Packaging Management with Voluntary-EPR  towards a Circular Economy in Thailand

 Bangkok: Suntory PepsiCo Beverage (Thailand) Co., Ltd. together with six leading companies in Thailand have officially launched the "Packaging Recovery Organization Thailand Network" or "PRO-Thailand Network". We are committed to driving sustainable packaging management through the principles of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), emphasizing the participation of all sectors including the government, private sector, and civil society. Together, we aim to promote the collection of post-consumer packaging from the public and ensure its maximum potential for recycling or utilizing in future applications. This initiative promotes utilizing resources efficiently; helps reducing environmental impacts; and strives for a circular economy in Thailand.

 Members of the PRO-Thailand Network consist of brand owners, product manufacturers, and packaging manufacturers, totaling seven companies: Coca-Cola (Thailand) Ltd., Suntory PepsiCo Beverage (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Tetra Pak (Thailand) Ltd., ThaiNamthip Corporation Ltd., Nestlé (Thai) Ltd., Pepsi-Cola (Thai) Trading Co., Ltd., and SIG Combibloc Ltd. These companies share a strong commitment to environmental protection and adhere to well-defined global sustainability policies. They also recognize the pressing issue of improper management of post-consumer packaging waste in Thailand. Thus, they have voluntarily joined forces since 2019 to drive sustainable packaging management, with EPR principles at the core of our operations. They focus on managing the entire lifecycle of packaging—from design and selection of eco-friendly materials for packaging production to collection of post-consumer packaging, recycling, or converting non-recyclable packaging for other uses, which is also called recovery. By doing so, they aim to foster a circular economy in Thailand. The PRO-Thailand Network has initially started a pilot program of post-consumer packaging management in three types including Polyethylene Terephthalate or PET bottles, used beverage cartons (such as milk, juice, coconut juice cartons) and multilayered packaging (such as snack bags and coffee sachets). These initiatives are being carried out in collaboration with the Resources Management for Sustainability (3R) Foundation.

The management team of the PRO-Thailand Network emphasizes that “our operational approach strives to ensure that post-consumer packaging from public is collected for recycling or upcycling. The key framework includes: 1. Collaboration: Foster cooperation by working closely with stakeholders throughout the packaging value chain and other relevant parties within the waste management system. This collaborative effort aims to achieve efficient results in reducing packaging waste and increasing recycling rates. 2. Facilitation: Enhance facilitation by development and improvement of recycling systems that are suitable for the context of country, following the circular economy principles. This involves close collaboration with the informal sector including scavengers, junk shops, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), business and trade associations, media outlets, the general public, and government agencies. 3. Pilot Project: Establish pilot projects as prototypes for continuous development and improvement. These projects focus on various aspects, including collection, recycling, or upcycling. Once successfully proven, these models can be scaled up for nationwide implementation, ensuring effective practices at the national level.

 Mr. Pinsak Suraswadi, Director-General of the Pollution Control Department (PCD), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) emphasizes "Nowadays, we strive to drive the country's waste management to be more efficient. This includes reducing waste generation at the source, enhancing waste recycling capabilities and resource efficiency according to circular economy principle, and promoting waste management in the appropriate manner. All of these require genuine collaboration from all parties involved to bring about significant changes. The work of PRO-Thailand Network is another vital collaboration that will play a crucial role in reducing waste from post-consumer packaging at the source, focusing on collecting the packaging for recycling or upcycling, as observed in many countries worldwide. Regarding the role of PCD, we recognize that the management of post-consumer packaging waste cannot be solely accomplished by the private sector alone without the government support on the regulation. Therefore, PCD under the MoNRE, is currently developing a sustainable packaging management legislation in Thailand based on the principles of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). We envision a regulatory framework that mandates the participation of all stakeholders across the packaging value chain in post-consumer packaging management, ensuring fairness and equity in their respective roles, and ultimately leading to the creation of a circular economy in Thailand. The PRO-Thailand Network is regularly one of the collaborative partners driving this initiative forward."

 Since 2020, the PRO-Thailand Network has been conducting the pilot projects through the 3R Foundation to learn, improve, and develop the PRO Model to be suitable for the context of Thailand.

Dr. Witoon Simachokedee, Ph.D., Chairman of the 3R Foundation, further explains, "As an organization with a primary mission to promote sustainable resource management under the 3R (Reduce-Reuse-Recycle) concept for a long time, we recognize the importance of applying the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principles to enhance the efficiency of managing post-consumer packaging in a systematic and comprehensive manner. This includes the entire lifecycle of packaging, from design, production, importation, distribution, consumption, to post-consumer management, with the least possible environmental impact. Today, it is a great pleasure that the PRO-Thailand Network has officially launched its collaboration with the 3R Foundation to promote the work of all sectors in the packaging value chain, in line with the government's policy to drive Thailand through the BCG economic model and concretely reduce negative impacts on the environment."

 "Today's launch is a significant milestone, and all seven companies firmly believe that expanding cooperation in taking responsibility for post-consumer packaging to brand owners, product manufacturers, and packaging manufacturers is crucial. We would like to work closely with all stakeholders, including government agencies, academics, and civil society, as well as invite consumers to separate post-consumer packaging from food waste. This will create a new context for more efficient management of post-consumer packaging in Thailand. For organizations who are interested in joining the PRO-Thailand Network can contact us through our Facebook page: PRO-Thailand Network at https://web.facebook.com/prothailandnetwork” concluded by the management team of the PRO-Thailand Network.