The City Government of San Fernando in Pampanga officially partnered with GNS Events and Logistics Management Services to roll out the “Cartons for Communities” program.
The memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed at the Executive Building, signaling the start of a joint effort to strengthen waste management practices in the city.
GNS serves as the official partner agency of Tetra Pak in the Philippines for its sustainability initiatives, and through the agreement with the group, one of the key components of the program—the Sorters Support Program—will be introduced in San Fernando.
The initiative aims to raise awareness on the proper handling of used beverage cartons and promote ways to give them a “second life” instead of ending up in landfills.
The initiative aims to raise awareness on the proper handling of used beverage cartons (UBCs) and promote ways to give them a “second life” instead of ending up in landfills.
Mayor Vilma Balle-Caluag and GNS General Manager Shiella Gomez led the signing ceremony, as this partnership is expected to enhance the knowledge and skills of waste workers, particularly those from the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) and various barangays, in the proper segregation and collection of UBCs.
Data from GNS indicates that beverage cartons are frequently misclassified as residual waste.
“By treating UBCs as high-value paper recyclables, the program seeks to transform them into functional items such as chairs, tables, board games, and shopping bags, among other things.”
“By treating UBCs as high-value paper recyclables, the program seeks to transform them into functional items such as chairs, tables, board games, and shopping bags, among other things,” Balle-Caluag explained.
Under the agreement, GNS will support San Fernando’s waste workers by providing capacity-building activities focused on UBC recycling.
“In return, the city government will help ensure a steady segregation and collection of used cartons that can be repurposed into new materials through the CENRO’s partner,” the lady mayor said.
“The pilot program will run for one year, followed by a comprehensive evaluation to measure its environmental and social impact on the Fernandino community,” she concluded.
