Aluminium Loop, Thailand’s first closed-loop aluminium beverage packaging recycling system, has partnered with the Resources Management for Sustainability Foundation (3R), Koh Tao Subdistrict Municipality, Pollution Control Department, Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, and Department of Tourism, along with international organizations such as the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Local partners include the Koh Tao Tourism Business Association, local tourism operators, resorts, shops, restaurants, bars, and recycling collectors on Koh Tao. Major private sector partners such as CP ALL Public Company Limited have also joined by supporting the redesign of beverage packaging under eco-design principles, making it easier to manage and fully recyclable within the circular economy system. Together, these partners have been developing a sustainable packaging waste management model based on the Circular Economy concept through the “Koh Tao Model” initiative, under the “Value Chain Packaging Waste Management Project.” The project focuses on packaging redesign, the development of an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system, and the improvement of local solid waste management in Koh Tao, Ko Pha-ngan District, Surat Thani Province, launched in 2023. The core mission is to replace difficult-to-manage beverage packagings with aluminium cans, which are easier to handle, fully recyclable without quality loss, and have a higher resale value. Aluminium cans are lightweight, compactable, and therefore more efficient and cost-effective to transport off the island—helping turn waste management from a burden into a sustainable cycle that supports both the environment and local communities.

Mr. Pavin Chayaviwatkul, founder of Aluminium Loop, said “Aluminium Loop serves as a ‘connector’ in the end-to-end management of aluminium beverage packaging—from the beginning to the end of the recycling chain. We promote aluminium cans as the primary packaging choice for communities and tourists, while encouraging post-consumption sorting. This led to the campaign ‘Use Cans = Save Thai Ocean’, emphasizing that aluminium cans are 100% recyclable in a closed-loop system, allowing a can to become a new can endlessly. This helps reduce costs, waste, and the risk of leakage into the environment, while also generating additional income for local communities through the collection and return of valuable packaging waste. It’s not only about protecting the environment but also about returning value to the community.”

With the cooperation of all stakeholders in managing beverage packaging on Koh Tao, the island has successfully replaced more than 90% of glass bottles—which are difficult to manage—with aluminium cans. The remaining portion comprises beverage brands that have yet to transition to aluminium packaging. Meanwhile, an efficient collection and transportation system has been developed to move recyclable materials off the island. According to the Resources Management for Sustainability Foundation (3R), during the first quarter of 2025, Koh Tao achieved a 70% reduction in the overall weight of residual beverage packaging waste—bringing it down to an average of 30 tons per month. At the same time, carbon emissions were reduced by 34%, to an average of 51 tons of CO₂ equivalent per month.