Holcim Philippines has announced an initiative aimed at helping collect pollution-causing marine litter in Manila Bay. This will be the company’s way to support a sustainable rehabilitation of the area. At the same time, it also aims to increase awareness among communities and students about caring for the seas.
The building solutions firm disclosed that for the effort, it will receive a solar-powered catamaran called the Circular Explorer from the Holcim Group in the first half of 2022. The vessel was previously launched in Germany in July 2021 to symbolize the group’s commitment to driving the circular economy and preserving nature. It can recover up to 4 tons of plastic wastes from Manila Bay.
The Circular Explorer is part of the Holcim Group’s focus on sustainability and innovation—a cause that includes the launch of the first green cement in the world with 20% recycled demolition and construction by-products. It will be supported by Holcim Philippines and operated by the One Earth One Ocean.
Holcim Philippines even partnered with the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute’s (UP MSI) Marine Environment and Resource Foundation, Inc (MERF) to develop innovative solutions to curtail plastic pollution and advance research on the subject.
“Everyone has a role in preserving our oceans,” said Holcim Group CEO Jan Jenisch. “We are proud supporters of the Circular Explorer to be part of the solution. I am inspired to see how young changemakers can act as catalysts to solve some of our world’s greatest challenges. The Circular Explorer’s education and science programs are designed to mobilize them to take action.”
Holcim Philippines operates Geocycle, a waste management unit that converts qualified wastes into fuel used in manufacturing cement through co-processing technology. Geocycle processed up to 130,000 tons of waste materials in 2020 alone.
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