Some 28 metric tons of plastic waste, the equivalent of 2.8 million plastic water bottles filling up 73 basketball courts, was recently recycled into useful eco-products by Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) as part of its “circular waste management” initiative.
The plastic waste, which would have otherwise filled up Metro Manila’s dumpsites or find its way into Manila Bay, had been recycled into eco-products like bricks for pathways, sidewalks, and fences, according to the country’s leading property developer.
ALI said it expanded its commitment to environmental protection amid the COVID-19 pandemic by using a circular economy approach to waste management, turning plastic waste to products that can be used in projects.
Eco-products from ALI, Green Antz
ALI has been recycling tons of dry plastic waste from its properties and communities as early as last year and is continuing to turn these into eco-materials used in its estates and residential communities (shown in photo).
It said that with online shopping and delivery becoming a necessity during the pandemic, plastics use for packaging and food containers have been increasing in volume. These plastics would normally end up in garbage landfills or, worse, find its way to waterways and eventually end up in already polluted oceans.
The company linked up with an environmental solutions company, Green Antz Builders, which converts dry plastic waste into eco-products using a technology that mixes plastic with cement and other materials. The finished product is formed into construction materials like bricks, pavers, and casts. These materials are now being used in Ayala Land estates and sites as pathways, fences, and sidewalks (Inset).
“The cycle involves collecting clean and dry plastics at designated drop-offs and transporting them to eco-hubs, which are recycling facilities where the plastics are shredded and incorporated into concrete products developed by Green Antz,” explained Anna Maria Gonzales, sustainability manager of ALI.
Eco-hubs
The first eco-hub, built in partnership with Green Antz, opened in March, 2019 in Arca South, a 74-hectare mixed-used development in Taguig City.
In October, 2019, the Lio Tourism Estate in El Nido, Palawan opened its own eco-hub to collect plastic within the estate and nearby communities, and turn these` into eco-products to be used by the estate.
Among the users of eco-products were Globe Telecom, which turned over 24,500 eco-bricks to seven communities. The Makati Central Business District installed 60,000 eco-pavers for sidewalks.
AC Energy’s SolarAce and GigaSol used more than 24,000 eco-casts to build the control rooms of their solar power plants in Alaminos Laguna and Zambales.
Evo City in Kawit, Cavite are using 60,000 eco-bricks and 50,000 eco-casts for fencing. Lio Tourism Estate produced 158,000 eco-pavers for its sidewalks and pavement.
The total plastics recycled by ALI in 2020 is comparable to the amount of clean and dry plastic waste gathered from two of its largest malls in a regular year.
“Processing and using these eco-products effectively prevented clean and dry plastics from Greenbelt and Glorietta from ending up in dumpsites,” claimed Gonzales.