In order to achieve circularity of used beverage cartons (UBCs) in Malaysia, Tetra Pak, the world’s leading food processing and packaging solutions company, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IOI Plantation Services Sdn Bhd (IOI Plantation), a subsidiary of IOI Corporation Berhad (IOI).
This initiative aims to strengthen the recycling and sorting of UBCs across all of the operating units of IOI Plantation in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah. This is a demonstration of how industry stakeholders can jointly come together to realise the ambition of mitigating landfill waste, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fostering a culture of recycling.
This pioneering programme in October 2022 marks the first-ever collection effort of its kind within the plantation industry. Together, Tetra Pak and IOI Plantation have undertaken a multi-faceted approach, including organising beverage carton recycling awareness programmes, integrating UBC collections into the existing recycling programme, and organising a UBC Collection Competition within IOI Plantation’s 31 operating units across Peninsular Malaysia. The programme’s designated collection partner, KPT Recycle, plays a pivotal role in facilitating the collection process of the UBCs.
The MoU also represents a pivotal milestone as it signifies the expansion of this programme from all of the operating units of IOI Plantation in Peninsular Malaysia to Sabah, demonstrating a strategic commitment towards achieving comprehensive nationwide coverage.
The MoU also highlights a collaborative effort to support and provide additional income opportunities to IOI Plantation’s employees through their involvement in the recycling programme.
According to Tetra Pak Sustainability Director for ASEAN Terrynz Tan, “This one-of-a-kind programme is significant for us. It marks a major shift from our previous collaborations, which mainly involved working with Government and schools. This partnership with IOI Plantation supports our sustainability commitment, as we work with like-minded organisations to spread awareness of the circular economy and recycling of carton packages. By streamlining the collection process for UBCs, we are not only diverting waste from landfills but also creating new opportunities for these materials to be repurposed into valuable products, contributing to a circular economy in Malaysia.”
“IOI implements the concept and practice of 7Rs of Circularity to reduce environmental impacts and dependency on natural resources as well as to meet our Net-Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. This initiative with Tetra Pak aims to reduce daily food-packaging waste and optimise recycling across all our operations and businesses. We are proud to be the first plantation partner of Tetra Pak and are excited to expand our collection initiative across the shore to cover our operating units in Sabah. With this, we are not only pioneering circular solutions but also making a collective difference to our communities in preserving the environment and conserving our valuable resources,” said IOI Chief Sustainability Officer Dr Surina Ismail.
The event also witnessed the prize-giving ceremony for the winners of the UBC Collection Competition which was organised during the campaign. A total of 18,397 UBCs were collected from over 2,700 participating employees among the 31 operating units of IOI Plantation in Peninsular Malaysia from March to September 2023. The contest format had two categories: Intra-region and Inter-region. There were a total of 15 individual winners for the Intra-region category and three estate winners for the Inter-region category.
