MAKING SCHOOL CHAIRS FROM PLASTIC WASTES

MAKING SCHOOL CHAIRS FROM PLASTIC WASTES

The whole idea behind a circular economy is simple — keep materials out of dumps, landfills and our oceans, and bring them back into the market in useful forms. In the Philippines, where plastic pollution has grown into a full-blown crisis, it’s heartening to see companies such as Envirotech Waste Recycling Inc. (Davao City) and Plastic Flamingo stepping into line, turning plastic waste into school chairs and other furnishings.

Let me wear my commentary hat for a moment: their production side appears mature and stable, but what they really need now is financing, marketing support, government offtake, and scale. My wish? That the government would lean in strongly. And that private sector buyers would spot the opportunity and place orders. For instance: why not have the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) or the National Housing Authority (NHA) purchase their recycled-plastic tiles, wall panels or chairs for social housing, public schools and barangay halls?

Why this matters

Here are a few cold hard facts:

  • The Philippines generates about 2.7 million tonnes of plastic waste annually.

  • Only around 28 % of key plastic resins are recycled locally.

  • Much of that plastic ends up in landfills, waterways, and eventually the ocean. For example, the country is estimated to contribute up to 20 % of its plastic waste into oceanic leakage.

  • Via Envirotech’s own data: they process 60 to 90 tons of plastic waste per month and can produce roughly 1,500 school chairs from 30 tons of plastic in one such batch.

The environmental logic is strong: plastic waste → recycled products → reduced landfill / ocean leakage → new livelihood opportunities. On the social side, chairs for schools are a tangible community benefit.

The companies doing it

Envirotech Waste Recycling Inc. (Davao City)
Founded 2010 by engineer Winchester Lemen, Envirotech collects soft and single-use plastics and converts them into furniture and building materials. Each school chair reportedly uses 20–30 kg of plastic. Their business model combines environmental impact with local employment and up-cycling.

Plastic Flamingo
Although less highlighted here, Plastic Flamingo is another Philippine enterprise working to transform plastic waste into durable goods and furnishings. According to business-directory data, they focus on recycled-plastic building materials and furniture. 

My commentary, suggestions & questions

  • Government support needed: While these businesses are doing good, they need “pull” from government — contracts for schools / public institutions. If DHSUD/NHA, DepEd or even barangay councils committed to buying these recycled-plastic chairs or wall panels, demand would rise and economies of scale could be achieved.

  • Finance and markets: For firms like Envirotech and Plastic Flamingo the challenge is scaling: capital for more machines, marketing channels, supply of raw plastic waste, consistent orders.

  • Private sector role: Corporations with CSR mandates can buy the products (chairs, tiles, panels) or sponsor waste-collection drives feeding these enterprises. For example, the company NutriAsia, Inc. and Del Monte Philippines, Inc. partnered to collect plastic waste and donated up-cycled school chairs via Envirotech.

  • Consumer products expansion: With support of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), these enterprises could begin manufacturing wider product lines (e.g., furniture, home décor, consumer goods) from recycled plastic.

  • Addressing raw-material supply: To produce enough chairs and panels, they need reliable feedstock — segregated, collected, sorted plastic waste. This implies better waste-management systems at barangay / LGU levels.

  • Quality and durability: While recycled plastic products are innovative, public institutions need assurance on quality, durability, safety (especially for school furniture). Certification and standards are key.

  • Price competitiveness: Recycled-plastic chairs must be cost-competitive against conventional wood or steel chairs. If recycled products are significantly more expensive, uptake will be slow.

  • Scale and geography: These models are currently local (Mindanao, etc.). For national impact, they need to be adopted across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, integrated into national procurement frameworks.

Final thoughts

I tip my hat to the founders of these companies. They are pioneers turning trash into treasure, aligning environmental sustainability with livelihood creation. But here’s the message to our policy-makers and business leaders: this is not the time for passive applause. It’s time for strategic partnership. We have a plastic-waste problem of millions of tonnes per year; we have innovative entrepreneurs ready with solutions. What we don’t yet have in full measure is consistent market demand, government procurement policy and scaling support.

Imagine: a classroom full of chairs made entirely from the plastic sachets and shopping bags that used to end up by rivers or in the sea. That would be a circular economy in action. That would be waste turned into value. That would be good design, good business, and good citizenship all in one.

So my question to you, dear reader: should our government simply regulate plastics harder, or should it also buy recycled-plastic solutions and in effect create the demand that makes the circular economy real? I believe the latter. Because waste is not just a problem—it’s a resource waiting to be harvested. And every chair made from plastic waste is one less bag clogging our rivers, and one more seat for the next generation to learn.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres

iseneres@yahoo.com, senseneres.blogspot.com 03-31-2026

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