ThaiBev Sustainability

Home / 2018 Sustainability Report / Caring for the Environment and the Entire Value Chain Eco-friendly Packaging

GRI305-5

Glass, paper, aluminium, and plastic are the main packaging materials used in producing spirits, beer, non-alcoholic beverages and food.
When developing packaging, ThaiBev considers environmental factors by using the 3Rs principle, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, to reduce long-term impacts on the environment and society.
ThaiBev has collaborated with public and private sectors, as well as local communities, in many projects and activities to promote cooperation to tackle packaging waste and pollution.

INSIGHT

Sinchai Thiensiri
Director, Thailand Institute of Packaging and Recycling Management for Sustainable Environment (TIPMSE)

The various kinds of used packaging are raw materials. If we separate packaging after consumption, the packaging can be used as a raw material in production.

Both the public and private sectors must take part in encouraging consumers to be aware and take responsibility for the results of their own consumption, and to increase channels for consumers to have a role in adjusting their behavior to promote a society of sustainable consumption at the national level.

STORY

Management of the Main Packaging Materials

ThaiBev endeavors to return post-consumption packaging to the manufacturing process and our supply chain by emphasizing cooperation and participation amongst all groups of stakeholders, including the parent company, suppliers, retailers and consumers, to reduce the environmental impact of packaging waste. ThaiBev adheres to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal No.12 (UN SDG 12) as a guiding principle in establishing sustainable production and consumption, and to reduce waste, especially for ThaiBev’s main packaging materials, with an emphasis on the 3Rs principle.

Glass bottles

Reduce the weight of single-use bottles and recycle them in the production process
Redesign the shape to be impact-resistant, in order to be reused as many times as possible
Start a business to buy leftover glass directly from consumers so that waste can be used as raw materials in production

Reduce
Reduce the use of raw materials (sand) by
43,680 tons
in the bottle manufacturing process

Reuse
Cullet recycled in production processes totalling
108,256 tons

Recycle
1,490 million
glass bottles reused in the production process

Corrugated cartons

Increase the proportion of recycled paper and use damaged cartons to make compressed paper blocks for reuse in the production of corrugated cartons
Use technology to help reduce the amount of paper used while maintaining quality and durability
Encourage consumers to collect used corrugated cartons in exchange for money

Reduce
Reduce the use of paper resources by an average of
7% per unit
in the production of corrugated cartons

Reuse
78%
rate of recycled content per unit
100%
of corrugated cartons used in spirits and beer businesses contain recycled paper

Recycle
Over 10 million
corrugated cartons and partitions retrieved and reused

Plastic bottles and plastic bags

Stop using plastic bottle cap seals
Increase the proportion of bio-based materials in mineral water bottles
Change to biodegradable plastic bags for food

Reduce
> 340 million
pieces of plastic reduced from banning cap seals, estimated at
65 %
of total plastic bottles produced

Bio-Based Materials
30 %
of materials used in plastic bottles is derived from plant sources

Time for biodegradable
plastic bags to degrade
3 years on average
150
times less
than normal plastic bags

>340 million
pieces of plastic reduced

No Plastic Bottle Cap Seal

In accordance with Thailand’s National Solid Waste Management Master Plan (2016-2021), ThaiBev, as a major producer of drinking water, has participated in the “No plastic bottle cap seal” project to reduce plastic waste. ThaiBev’s subsidiaries, including Sermsuk and Thai Drink, signed an MOU for the project on February 13, 2018 at the Department of Pollution Control, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. Together with other major companies, ThaiBev has agreed to stop using plastic bottle cap seals for drinking water starting April 1, 2018.

30%
of plastic component is derived from plants

bioPET Chang Mineral Water

Realizing the shift in consumers’ behavior towards environmentally friendly products, ThaiBev has been doing research on raw materials that are safer for the environment and produce less carbon dioxide during the production process and at the end of their life cycle. ThaiBev has recently introduced bioPET bottles that are partially made from Monoethylene glycol (MEG) that is derived from plant material instead of petroleum. A trial lot of bioPET Chang Mineral Water produced with bottles that are composed of 30 percent plant-based materials were served at the 2018 ThaiBev Business Partner Conference, demonstrating the company’s sustainable vision to partners throughout the supply chain.

2,400
tons of glass retrieved

Samui Model

ThaiBev has cooperated with local government offices on Koh Samui to set up a recycling center on the island to buy used glass bottles and cullet, while also providing transportation to the mainland. Through this initiative, ThaiBev is able to support business partners and the general public, encouraging them to take part in reducing waste on the island, and at the same time generating income for local communities.

Recycling center

Transported to mainland by trucks and vessels

Used glass bottle and cullet collection center

Crystal Open House

This project aims to create environmental awareness among youth by giving high school students opportunities to visit Crystal drinking water factories across the country. In addition, upcycling stations have been installed at schools in order to educate students about the process of recycling used plastic bottles. After being separated, plastic bottles and other components will be retrieved by ThaiBev’s business partner to be used as raw materials for producing other products.

60
Upcycling stations

60 tons
of plastic retrieved

Students collect plastic bottles

Upcyling station

Sorting

Manufactured into other products

Products from used plastic bottles

Reducing Resources Efficiently - Less is More

17 g
In the beginning

15.5 g
2014

14.6 g
2016

13.5 g
2017

12.7 g
Next step

To bring about the maximum efficient use of resources, ThaiBev has continuously been reducing the use of raw materials used to produce plastics bottles since 2014. Up until today, the weight of PET bottles used for drinking water have been successfully reduced from 17g to 13.5g. Throughout the journey, process development and design improvement are required to maintain or even enhance the quality of packaging. Including the decision to invest in the construction of a packaging production facility, producing plastic preforms from PET resins, and molding bottles at ThaiBev’s plants. The effort has enabled ThaiBev to reduce its environmental footprint and at the same time allowed for effective cost management.

MOVING FORWARD

Achievements in 2018

Reduced amount of main packaging waste by

598,199 tons

Reduced GHG emissions by

608,332 tons CO₂e

Glass

572,984 tons

Paper

25,158 tons

Plastic

57 tons

Target

80%
of main packaging materials are reused, recycled and retrieved by 2020
ThaiBev has set a long-term target in order to achieve sustainable packaging management, considering the impact of products from design and development all the way to post-consumption management.

Developing or redesigning product
Take into account the packaging’s end-of-life, including the retrieval process, whether for reuse or recycling

Sourcing packaging materials

Incorporate environmental considerations into packaging material selection, such as the use of recycled material
Collaborate with partners in creating packaging innovations in order to minimize long-term environmental impacts

Production
Use technology to improve packaging production in order to increase resource efficiency, for instance, reducing the amount of waste from the production process

Managing post- consumption packaging

Establish purchasing centers in every region of Thailand to retrieve used packaging as well as scraps, including glass bottles, cullet, and corrugated cartons
Set targets to reuse packaging in packing and production processes
Encourage consumers and local communities to take part in post-consumption packaging management

ThaiBev 2018 Sustainability

ThaiBev
2018 Sustainability