A year and a half after arriving in the Philippines, Plastic Odyssey Factories (POF) is developing a comprehensive setup there, at the crossroads of industry, social entrepreneurship and humanitarian aid.
- Semi-industrial solution: two operational recycling micro-factories
- Entrepreneurial incubation: seven startups supported
- Humanitarian response: a prototype emergency shelter made from recycled plastic
- Local structuring: a recycling hub in Cebu, the future foundation of a POF subsidiary
An archipelago exposed to natural disasters and heavy plastic pollution
Every year, the Philippines is hit by numerous typhoons, floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters. These events often leave behind large volumes of plastic waste, while creating an urgent need for temporary shelter for the affected populations.
At the same time, the archipelago still lacks a structured value chain to turn this waste into durable construction materials that are useful locally. Since late 2024, POF has been drawing on a partnership with Delfingen, an industrial company established in the Philippines for 25 years and regularly called upon in emergency situations, to help build this local response.
Two micro-factories, seven entrepreneurs supported and a humanitarian response in development
Two recycling micro-factories have been set up with Delfingen: one in Cavite, south of Manila, and the other in Cebu, on the island of Lapu-Lapu.
These units transform locally collected plastic waste into durable profiles and boards, designed as an alternative to wood, an increasingly scarce resource in the Philippines. These materials offer several advantages: they resist humidity, rain, sun, sea salt and termites, which makes them particularly well suited to the local context.
In partnership with Makesense Asia, POF is also running a two-year incubation program for recycling entrepreneurs. The goal is to bring seven startups or recycling micro-factories to life in Luzon and Cebu. These projects benefit from the support of two POF engineers, tasked with providing technical guidance, supporting the rollout of the recycling machines, and training the entrepreneurs and their teams on the ground.
POF is also developing a prototype emergency shelter and sanitation cabin incorporating recycled-plastic components, notably the walls, floors and interior furnishings. The aim is twofold: to help reduce plastic pollution and to turn waste into useful materials for humanitarian responses.
"I've now been living in the Philippines for a year and a half, developing Plastic Odyssey's solutions. Plastic pollution is of course a major issue, one we're working to ease through awareness efforts with schools, universities, communities and institutions, as well as by developing micro-factories as close as possible to the sources of waste. But an even bigger challenge for the Philippines is the growing frequency of the natural disasters that strike the population: more than 20 typhoons in 2025, severe flooding, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions… These events leave tens of thousands of people without a home, without a solution for their family and without decent living conditions. With our recycled construction materials, we want to prototype and then roll out emergency shelters and sanitation cabins for those affected, so they can regain four walls, a roof, a dignified living environment and a degree of stability to get through these ordeals."
— Maxime Thirouin, recycling engineer in the Philippines
Toward a Plastic Odyssey Factories Philippines subsidiary
A recycling hub is currently being developed in Cebu. It will combine small densification units installed as close as possible to communities with a central hub where waste will be transformed into construction materials by the POF and Delfingen teams.
This hub is meant to lay the groundwork for a lasting presence in the archipelago, through the gradual creation of a Plastic Odyssey Factories Philippines entity.
Currently made up of two engineers based in Cebu and Manila/Cavite, the team is set to grow. POF is now looking for a country manager to structure and lead this future subsidiary as projects and opportunities multiply.