Feature: Myanmar businesses embrace glass bottle reuse amid global climate push

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While climate action is high on the global agenda, some Myanmar businesses are taking a practical approach at home by reusing glass bottles to reduce plastic waste and make better…

YANGON, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- While climate action is high on the global agenda, some Myanmar businesses are taking a practical approach at home by reusing glass bottles to reduce plastic waste and make better use of existing resources.

For Pyae Sone Win Naing, owner of Sein Baydar glass bottle shop in Yangon, used bottles are far from waste. After being collected, cleaned and sorted, they can be sold to manufacturers at a fraction of the price of new ones.

His shop was among several glass bottle traders and reusable packaging suppliers displaying their products at a seminar and exhibition in Yangon on Thursday, which was organized by environmental organization Thant Myanmar and the Myanmar Sustainable Business Network.

The event brought together local businesses to explore more affordable packaging options for the food and beverage sector, particularly for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises struggling with rising costs and difficulties importing materials.

The price difference is significant, Pyae Sone Win Naing said. "New bottles can cost between 2,000 and 3,000 kyats (about 0.9 to 1.4 U.S. dollars), while reused ones are available for around 200 to 800 kyats, depending on their size and type," he said.

Tin Mar Lar Thein, founder of Sweetie Home Food Production, which makes fermented drinks such as ginger ale and kombucha, also relies on glass bottles for her products.

"As an environmentalist myself, I prefer reuse. That is why we mainly use glass bottles for my products. In the long run, glass bottles are a better option for sustainability," she said.

However, using returned bottles is not without challenges. They must be thoroughly washed and sterilized to meet food safety standards, while transportation and handling add to business costs, she added.

Beyond reducing waste, cutting plastic use can also help address climate change, said Nwe Ni Win, research and development program manager at Thant Myanmar.

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