Plastic waste upcycled into benches, now in major bus terminals nationwide

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MANILA, Philippines — Wrappers of candy brand Mentos were turned into benches and were distributed to major bus terminals to provide ample seating space for passengers waiting for their buses to arrive. 

The initiative is part of the Mentos “Yes to Fresh” campaign, which aims to provide some much-needed freshness to commuters in major bus terminals in Batangas, Naga, Bacolod, and Cagayan de Oro.

Armed with a strong commitment to sustainability and reducing its environmental footprint globally, Perfetti Van Melle (PVM), whose confectionery brands include Mentos, has not only reduced plastic in its packaging by continuously finding meaningful alternatives to plastic packaging materials. In the Philippines, it also supports projects that divert plastic waste from nature, one of which is the bus terminal benches project. For this, PVM Philippines partnered with PCX Markets in transforming over 1,000 kilograms of plastic waste into 100 benches and distributed these to bus terminals located in the areas mentioned above.

The benches, which will remain as permanent fixtures at the bus terminals, offer a fresh lease of life to plastic waste that might otherwise have ended up in nature or landfills.

“As so many Filipinos enjoy our products every day, we have a unique opportunity to help drive positive change. By integrating sustainability into our brand plans, brands... can bring joy to consumers while also supporting the development of a circular economy for plastic in the Philippines. These benches, made entirely from recycled plastic waste, are a great example of how this can be done,” said David Roos, PVM Philippines’ Managing Director.

“This initiative is a fantastic example of how businesses can help fund the cleanup of plastic waste, bringing much-needed financing to our country’s emerging waste management sector, while also creating a circular economy by driving demand for the final product,” added Rudi Ramin, Commercial Director, PCX Markets.

PCX Markets is a global marketplace for audited and traceable plastic waste recovery and responsible processing. It encourages the elimination of unnecessary plastic and enables the responsible recovery and processing of any remaining plastic, ensuring it doesn’t end up in nature.