Mondelez PH and Robinsons Easymart build recycled play area
BEFORE the enhanced community quarantine was implemented, Balumbato Elementary School in Quezon City welcomed a new play area for its students. This was no ordinary play area however. It was a structure that had been formed using recycled plastic.
The issue of plastic waste has been in discussion for quite some time. It is true that any waste, regardless if plastic or not, when improperly disposed, does pose a problem for the environment. It’s also true that while plastic use can be reduced, it continues to be a highly efficient material, which provides the right levels of security, quality and product protection for food products. This recently constructed play area shows that when properly disposed and recycled, plastic waste has further purpose and can be given new life.
What’s more, the play area was built in partnership with Robinsons
Supermarket. In the latter part of 2019, Mondelez Philippines partnered with Robinsons Easymart for a social marketing campaign. For every purchase of selected Mondelez Philippines snack products, a portion went to the construction of the play area. Says Robinsons Supermarket’s Daisy Lyn Go-Sy, merchandising directorFood 2 & 3, “Robinsons Supermarket is pleased to partner with Mondelez Philippines in reaching out to communities by way of this play area, which the children of Balumbato Elementary School can fully enjoy once they are able to go back to school. We hope that they will help create many beautiful moments of friendship, laughter and physical activity for them. This project is also in keeping with our partner’s mission to give joy through snack products and ours of health and wellness.”
Launched in August 2019, the Reto cycled Play Areas are slides, benches and sheds which have been built using ecobricks. These are plastic bottles stuffed full of used and shredded plastic bags or packaging. In the schools where they have been built, students have been encouraged to make their own ecobricks, and see their contributions serve a purpose with the recycled play areas.
Employees of Mondelez Philippines also contributed to the collection of ecobricks, with the four play areas able to recycle some 990 kilos of plastic. The three other schools are located in Paranaque City and another in Quezon City.