The global waste crisis poses significant environmental and social risks, including pollution, public health hazards, and contributions to climate change. IRPC acknowledges our role in waste generation through our business activities and actively mitigates these impacts through Circular Economy principles. Guided by the IRPC Going Circular framework, the Company focuses on eco-design, sustainable processes, behavior-change campaigns, waste management, and innovative upcycling or recycling solutions. This approach mitigates negative environmental and social impacts while generating economic value, in alignment with SDG 12 on sustainable consumption and production.
IRPC’s circular-economy initiatives are guided by the IRPC Going Circular framework, which aims to minimize waste and create value. The framework highlights 5 key focus areas: eco-design products, environmentally friendly processes, campaigns to inspire behavior change, waste management, and innovative upcycling or recycling solutions. These initiatives are driven by a strong foundation of understanding and communication, collaboration through public-private partnerships, and robust sustainability mechanisms.
- Circular Economy Working Structure
- Circular Economy Roadmap and Key Activities
- Circular Economy Project Implementation
Circular Economy Working Structure
To ensure the successful implementation of this roadmap, IRPC established a cross-functional circular economy working group. This team will bring together experts from various departments to drive the adoption of circular economy practices, foster innovation, and integrate sustainable solutions across the organization. By combining diverse expertise, the working group will play a crucial role in advancing IRPC’s circular economy goals, ensuring that each phase of the roadmap is effectively executed and aligned with the Company’s broader sustainability vision.
Circular Economy Roadmap and Key Activities
In action, IRPC has developed a roadmap to transition from a linear, extractive model to a sustainable, circular approach. This begins with assessing current practices, establishing baseline metrics, and engaging stakeholders to build awareness and support.
This is followed by setting policies, providing training, and driving innovation in recycling to enhance resource efficiency. Efforts then focus on optimizing material use, reducing waste, and designing products for greater recyclability and extended lifespans. IRPC aims to invest in advanced recycling technologies, extend product life cycles through refurbishment programs, and fully integrate circular principles across the supply chain.
In evaluating the extent of implementing circular economy principles, IRPC, as part of the PTT Group, refers to BSI Standard (BS 8001:2017) for self-assessment to determine the level of circularity maturity. This iterative process helps to provide insights into the organization’s current state of application and commitment to circular economy principles. Moreover, it serves as a catalyst for fostering continuous improvement and progress within the organization.
Circular Economy Project Implementation
With a strong commitment to advancing the circular economy, IRPC has adopted a business model based on the principles of Circularity as a Service (CaaS). Under this model, the company provides integrated plastic and material management solutions, focusing on closed-loop production within the plastics manufacturing industry. Through coordinated collaboration across the value chain, IRPC works closely with partners to promote shared waste utilization in line with industrial symbiosis principles. This approach covers the entire life cycle from product design for recycling (Design for Circularity), post-use material take-back, and the sorting and collection of plastic waste, including Post-Industrial Recycled (PIR) plastics and Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) plastics through the company’s collection network. The collected plastic waste is sorted and processed into high-quality recycled plastic pellets, which are reintroduced into the production process or returned to the system for further utilization. In cases where plastic waste is recovered for reuse, it is recycled according to material types or upcycled into new materials. This creates opportunities for business expansion and value creation, while ensuring efficient plastic waste management and reducing social and environmental impacts.
IRPC is the first company in Thailand to receive certification for “Zero Plastic Waste to Landfill in Production Processes.” This recognition reflects the company’s strong commitment to sustainable practices under its Eco-Solution concept. Plastic waste is reused within a certified closed-loop system to ensure that production processes are free from plastic waste leakage. The certification verifies that recycled polymer products meet high-quality standards, reinforcing consumer confidence in both sustainability and safety. This initiative not only strengthens the company’s competitive advantage but also supports the nation’s goal of transitioning towards a plastic waste-free society, delivering positive impacts across the industry as a whole.
In addition, POLIMAXX, the Company’s plastic resin brand, has integrated circular economy principles into its product development and manufacturing processes to enable the efficient recycling and reuse of plastic waste. The ECO-PRO product portfolio consists of environmentally friendly resin solutions, characterized by low energy consumption during production, reduced reliance on petrochemical feedstocks, and the incorporation of natural components. Most importantly, these products are designed to be 100% recyclable at the end of their life cycle, ensuring they do not become an environmental burden. Key examples include GREEN ABS, Green ABS Plus Wood, and bio-composite plastics.
IRPC continues to implement projects that optimize the reuse of waste plastics and integrate circular practices across the value chain. These initiatives are reinforced by active participation in national circular economy platforms, cross-industry collaborations, and industrial-ecology approaches that transform waste streams into inputs for new product development. Key highlights of these projects include:
FIT Auto Project
The Company collaborated with PTTOR through the retail shop business and FIT AUTO outlets to develop plastic pellets from used packaging materials and natural material mixtures. These pellets are used to create furniture and decorative items for retail shops and offices, including recycled polypropylene (r-PP) from used oil drums mixed with rice husks, which is repurposed furniture in FIT Auto service centers. The initiative is set to expand to 6 additional branches.
Project Collaboration with Boon Rawd Brewery Company Limited
IRPC has collaborated with PTT and Boon Rawd Brewery Co., Ltd. on a joint project to develop innovations that upcycle waste materials into returnable products, aligning with Circular Economy principles. The project focuses on recycling plastic waste such as r-PET and r-HDPE from Singha water bottles and other sources to produce water crates and returnable soda bottles. Additionally, r-HDPE mixed with beer residue is repurposed into pallets for transporting goods. This collaboration aims to use resources efficiently and sustainably, while reducing environmental impact.
BBQ Plaza Project
The Bar B Q Plaza project repurposes melamine food containers mixed with rice husks and scrap materials to create counter materials for Bar B Q Plaza restaurants. This initiative promotes sustainability by reusing waste materials in the production of new items for the business.
Beger Group Project
The Beger Project involves repurposing old paint cans used in various construction projects and other sources. Made from IRPC’s specific grade pellets, these cans are recycled and transformed into new paint cans for reuse, contributing to the efficient use of materials and supporting recycling efforts.
PTT Lubricants
IRPC has collaborated with PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Company Limited (PTTOR) in its retail operations and FIT AUTO service centers to develop plastic resin raw materials derived from used packaging and natural materials. These resins are utilized to manufacture furniture and decorative items for retail outlets and office spaces. This includes recycled polyethylene (r-HDPE) produced from used lubricant containers blended with rice husk, which is then used to produce furniture and student desk sets.
POLIMAXX x NAMECO
POLIMAXX and Nameco, an environmentally conscious plastic brand, have joined forces to develop products that minimize plastic usage during production. By incorporating eggshells into the plastic resin mixture, combined with PP and recycled PP (PCR) pellets, this innovative approach reduces the reliance on new plastic by over 70%, while also contributing to a reduction in carbon footprints. The unique benefits of eggshells extend beyond reducing plastic usage; they also provide a natural aesthetic and contain calcium, which enhances the strength of the products. Furthermore, these products are biodegradable when buried, do not contribute to microplastics, and are recyclable, further supporting sustainability.
Performance Summary
IRPC has actively incorporated recycled materials, optimized plastic reuse, and applied circular practices across the value chain. The table below shows progress in material use, recycled content, and waste utilization, reflecting our ongoing commitment to a sustainable, circular economy.
