SCG posts “Circular Economy” to create sustainability

SCG has held a global forum on Sustainability Development in Thailand the “SD Symposium 2018”.

It was held under the concept “Circular Economy: The future we create,” with attendees include leading global companies as well as the government sector, civil society, SMEs, startups, as well as local communities, to exchange perspectives and share success stories to collaboratively drive circular economy.

Mr. Roongrote Rangsiyopash, President and CEO, SCG, expressed: “The circular economy concept could help solve the problems of dwindling natural resources we had faced with, as it worked differently from the traditional linear economy’s model (Take-Make-Dispose) by preserving natural resources and using them in the most efficient way. By creating systems in which waste could re-enter the supply chain, a circular economy could lead to environmental and social sustainability.

SCG, as part of the business sector, vowed to be one of a key driving force to initiate collaboration with other parties. The SD Symposium 2018 gathered thought leaders and representatives from leading organizations to showcase their stories of successful implementation of the circular economy concept. The goal was for participants to get new perspectives that could solve global problems and would be inspired to adopt the circular economy concept to make it happen.”

SCG drives the circular economy concept through key three strategies:

One: Reduced material use / Durability. By reducing the amount of resources used in manufacturing, such as the corrugated Green Carton, which requires 25% less raw materials but remains durability, that helps customers save their transportation cost; reducing manufacturing and sales of single-use plastics from 46% to 23% within 10 years. The efforts including help customers save electricity cost for air-condition by Active AIRflowTM System, a cool and comfort home ventilation system; and strengthen durability of product, such as marine cement that 2 times last longer compared with conventional Portland cement.

Two: Upgrade and Replacement. By creating innovations to replace existing products and raw materials with new ones that offer higher efficiency but use less resources or make them recycle-friendly. For example, polyethylene (PE) which an enhanced innovation of SCG that can enable 2 times recycled plastic materials use as well as SCG Hybrid Cement that can replace traditional structural cement but use lower raw materials in production process.

Three: Reuse and Recycle. By recycling used products instead of using new resources, promoting all recovery processes, such as setting up Paper Bailing Station to collect paper waste to be recycled; recycling glass bottles to use in place of sand to produce insulation materials; developing “CIERRATM” functional material which improves plastic’s property that allows single material has versatile packaging application instead of multi materials which hard to be recycled; and recycling plastic waste to make fish home helping to preserve the marine eco-system.

“In addition, SCG promotes building collaborative networks with parties in Thailand and beyond in order to build full circular economies. Most recently, we have technology partnership with DOW (Thailand) to use recycled plastics as an ingredient in asphalt, helping to reduce ocean and community waste while also enhancing its efficiency as well as reducing carbon emissions from building roads.

Mr. Peter Bakker, President and CEO of World Business Council for Sustainable Development, added: “The circular economy concept is an innovative and revolutionizing concept that defies traditional manufacturing and consumption behaviors. It allows the global economic system to be the most efficient use of natural resources. In order to make this concept be widespread in the business community, we must start with instilling a conscience within the management and employees to head towards the same goal. At the same time, all sectors must also concern the problems and come together to make a change to our world.”