Suntory PepsiCo Thailand Drives Bottle-to-Bottle Recycling by Highlighting High-quality Plastic Recycling Plant Emphasizing the Cleanliness and Safety of 100% rPET Bottles.

Bangkok, 14 June 2023 ‑ Suntory PepsiCo Beverage (Thailand) Co., Ltd., a manufacturer and distributor of beverages under the Suntory and PepsiCo brands in Thailand, continues emphasizing on the importance of quality, cleanliness and safety of recycled PET bottles. After its first introduction of 100% rPET Pepsi bottles into the Thailand’s soft drink market in April, the company aims to showcase the recycling process by taking media a factory tour at ENVICCO Ltd., the largest producer of high-quality food-grade recycled plastic pellets in Southeast Asia. During the tour, ENVICCO Ltd. unveiled its advanced recycling technology, with a focus on collecting of used PET bottles and transforming them into new bottles through a never-ending "Bottle-to-Bottle Recycling" process. This recycling method lies at the core of sustainable packaging management that fosters a circular economy in Thailand.

 According to Ms. Wipawan Tasanapreechachai, Head of Corporate Affairs, Suntory PepsiCo Beverage (Thailand) Co., Ltd., “Suntory PepsiCo Thailand, as a producer and distributor of leading beverage brands in Thailand, is committed to sustainable packaging management. We place importance and take action seriously, starting from using eco-friendly packaging materials and designs that could be recyclable as well as educating the public about proper waste segregation. And another crucial initiative undertaken by the company is the collection of used beverage bottles, especially transparent and colorless PET bottles for recycling to be new bottles with high-quality, clean, and safe that meets Thai FDA standards, or known as "Bottle-to-Bottle Recycling". We have collaborated with ENVICCO Ltd., a manufacturer of high-quality food-grade recycled plastic resins to promote the widespread adoption of recycled bottles in Thailand. This allows for the efficient utilization of existing resources and reduces the consumption of new resources. With the recent launch of 100% rPET bottles for Pepsi, the Company is confident that rPET bottles maintain the same level of quality and safety as their virgin counterparts.

 Currently, Suntory PepsiCo Thailand is the first and only player in Thailand’s soft drink market starts using 100% rPET bottles for its products--Pepsi and Pepsi No Sugar 550 ml. These products are being sold in modern trade and convenience stores. Furthermore, the company plans to continue using 100% rPET bottles throughout the year and will expand to other product categories and distribution channels in the future.

 Mr. Natthanun Sirirak, Managing Director of ENVICCO Limited said, “At Envicco, we operate our business with sustainable development in mind. We are delighted to collaborate with Suntory PepsiCo Thailand to recycle used beverage bottles and transform them into high-quality, food-grade plastic resins. These resins are then used in the production of rPET bottles for Pepsi. ENVICCO has the capacity to recycle used PET bottles up to 40,000 tons annually, and those feedstocks come from food and beverage bottles used in the country. ENVICCO's plant is equipped with comprehensive, highly efficient recycling solutions. This includes the sorting of raw materials, crushing, cleaning, eliminating the contaminates, quality enhancement and assurance. All of which adhere to international standards. Therefore, we are confident that our recycled plastic resins can be produced to be 100% rPET bottles that are not only clean and safe but also meet the FDA's quality standards. Our aim is to promote the widespread use of rPET bottles in Thailand. The collaboration with Suntory PepsiCo Thailand to drive Bottle-to-Bottle Recycling is crucial step for post-consumer packaging management according to the circular economy principle.”

 Envicco's food-grade InnoEco PCR PET resin has successfully met international safety standards and received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA). Furthermore, in the recent March, the Thai FDA conducted a thorough quality and risk assessment of the recycling process and granted a certification to InnoEco PCR PET resin, affirming its safety for use in the production of food and beverage containers. This certification represents a significant milestone as the first of its kind in Thailand.

 “Suntory PepsiCo Thailand would like to invite and encourage consumers to choose packaging that is environmentally friendly, easy to recycle as well as encourage the proper segregation of post-consumer packaging to take them into the recycling process as much as possible. This includes promoting the use of high-quality, clean, and safe rPET bottles to be widely preferred.  The use of materials that are recyclable can help create a closed-loop packaging system, which is considered a crucial key in promoting sustainable packaging management,” concluded Ms. Wipawan.