Every purchase at MR.DIY now helps support plastic waste clean-up
As Zero Waste Month brings renewed focus to plastic responsibility and waste reduction in the Philippines, MR. DIY Philippines is sharing a major sustainability milestone: becoming the first retail company to join PCX Markets’ Plastic Cleanup Partner program, taking a measurable step toward fighting plastic pollution and supporting a circular economy.
Through the program, MR. D.I.Y. Philippines will fund the recovery and responsible processing of the equivalent of 100% of its annual plastic footprint for three years, starting with 605,000 kg in 2025.
This commitment exceeds the requirements of the country’s Extended Producer Responsibility Law, which requires large companies to divert 50% of their plastic packaging footprint in 2025. MR. D.I.Y. is voluntarily going beyond compliance to do its part, complementing broader efforts to reduce plastic waste and support a circular economy.
The Plastic Cleanup Partner badge is awarded by PCX Markets to brands that deliver significant, measurable impact in cleaning up plastic pollution. PCX Markets is a plastic responsibility platform that provides upstream and downstream solutions to help companies achieve their sustainability goals.
“As a company that serves millions of customers across the country, we recognize our role in reducing the impact of plastic on the planet,” said Roselle Andaya, Chief Executive Officer of MR. D.I.Y. Philippines. “Partnering with PCX Markets allows us to go beyond compliance, making sure our commitment to sustainability delivers real, measurable results for communities and the environment.”
Globally, plastics production reached 460 million tonnes in 2019, with only 9% of plastic waste successfully recycled, according to the OECD’s Global Plastics Outlook. In the Philippines, an estimated 2.7 million tonnes of plastic waste are generated each year, with gaps in waste management infrastructure contributing to environmental leakage. MR. D.I.Y.’s partnership with PCX Markets aims to address this downstream challenge by funding the recovery of its entire annual plastic footprint.
To join PCX’s Plastic Cleanup Partner program, companies must commit to diverting their entire EPR plastic packaging footprint from nature (or a percentage of revenue equivalent) for a three-year period. Every kilogram of post-consumer plastic recovered is independently verified by third party auditors and traceable through PCX Markets’ public registry, ensuring full transparency.
PCX works with an ecosystem of partners who collect, transport and responsibly process plastic waste, while supporting communities on the ground with programs that improve livelihoods and scale social impact.
This year, MR. D.I.Y. is supporting several PCX project partners, including the Aling Tindera Program run by impact organization Friends of HOPE, that turns women micro-entrepreneurs, many of whom run small “sari sari” stores, into sustainability champions by providing them with the infrastructure to purchase and collect plastic from their community.
Nanette Medved-Po (middle) joins Suzie Fernandez, Head of Legal, Compliance, and Sustainability, and Eddel Olaybal, ESG Analyst of MR.DIY Philippines, alongside representatives from the Aling Tindera Network, to celebrate their shared commitment to inclusive, community-based plastic waste solutions.
Community members can sell their plastic waste, including sachets that otherwise end up in rivers or landfills, to their local Aling Tindera, who cleans, bales and stores the plastic in a container van provided by HOPE. When it’s full, the plastic is collected and sent for processing, and she’s paid for each delivery.
“By uniting around a shared purpose, businesses and non-profits are cleaning up plastic, uplifting lives, and building sustainability infrastructure that endures, driving genuine impact for both the planet and communities.” said Nanette Medved-Po, Founder and Executive Chairperson of PCX Markets.
