Petron Turns Plastic Waste Into School Chairs in Support of EPR Law

In a move to promote sustainable waste management, Petron Corporation, the country’s largest oil refining and marketing company, has donated 25 school chairs made from its own recycled lube containers to F. Bangoy Elementary School in Davao City. The initiative, aligned with the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Law, highlights Petron’s commitment to environmental responsibility by converting plastic waste into functional school furniture.

The donation was made through the company’s corporate social responsibility arm Petron Foundation, Inc. (PFI) and Operations Group. The turnover ceremony was led by PFI Executive Director and Corporate Affairs AVP Mia S. delos Reyes, Mindanao Operations District Manager Edicel R. Bautista, and Davao Terminal Manager Nathan T. Asoque. Flordeliza F. Atillo along with other school representatives received the chairs on behalf of F. Bangoy Elementary School, one of Petron’s partner schools in Davao City.

Petron has put in place a Ready Set Recycle! Program which allows it to reutilize its used lube containers and upcycle them into durable armchairs for schools. Through this advocacy, the company is able to extend the lifespan of plastic that would have otherwise been discarded, transforming waste into functional and sustainable classroom furniture.

The company reported that its Davao Terminal’s plastic waste recycler contractor can produce one school armchair for every 125 kilograms of plastic waste collected. Petron expects to produce more chairs with improved plastic waste collection efforts.

By converting used plastic containers into school chairs, Petron is demonstrating how businesses can actively participate in the circular economy while addressing environmental concerns.

The Ready Set Recycle! Program is in support of the EPR Law, which requires companies to take responsibility for the lifecycle of their plastic products by implementing plastic waste collection, recovery, and recycling initiatives.

Recognizing the urgency of the issue on plastic waste and aligning with the government’s call for corporate action, Petron set a goal to reduce its plastic packaging footprint by 80% by 2028 through a five-year roadmap.