Appliance brand Midea is aiming to recover twice the amount of plastic associated with the products it sells in the Philippines, as part of efforts to expand its sustainability initiatives.
Raul Joseph Concepcion, president of the Concepcion Industrial Corp., distributor of Midea appliances in the country, said the company initially committed to recovering 100 percent of the plastic equivalent of what it puts into the market. This exceeds the government’s mandated recovery requirement.
“We said 100% right away, first year. I went in, I said, no, we’re going to do 200% next year,” Concepcion told reporters on the sidelines of MideaCon 2026 held at Clark Pampanga last March 3.
Under the Philippines’ Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law, large companies are required to recover a portion of the plastic packaging they introduce to the market, starting at 20 percent and gradually increasing in the coming years.
Anna Marie Alejandro, general manager of Concepcion Midea Inc. Philippines, said the company’s commitment means recovering the full equivalent of the plastic associated with the product it sells.
“For us, it’s not just about the target — it’s about the commitment to sustain the future for the next generation,” she said.
Concepcion said the company’s sustainability efforts go beyond compliance, with recovered plastic being repurposed as part of a circular program that converts waste into construction materials for housing.
Apart from plastic recovery initiatives, the company is also focusing on improving the energy efficiency of its appliances and reducing the environmental footprints of its operations.
Concepcion said newer appliances are designed to consume significantly less energy, helping households reduce electricity use and costs.
The company is also investing in renewable energy to support its sustainability efforts. Solar panels installed in some of its factories now generate around “20 to 30 percent” of the facilities’ electricity requirements.
