Zero-Waste Refill Store in Baguio Saves 10,000 Containers from Landfills

In Baguio City, Philippines, a family-run refill store called Tingi Station has kept an estimated 10,000 containers out of landfills since opening in January 2022.

Founder Elke Kayle Cadangen drew on habits learned from her late mother, who composted food scraps, reused jars, and carried cloth bags long before zero-waste living had a name.

The store operates on Tecson Street in Barangay Salud Mitra and at a second branch on Kayang Street in the public market, selling rice, flour, sugar, cooking oils, vinegar, soy sauce, loose-leaf tea, snacks, nuts, shampoo, soap, lotion, cleaning products, and reusable items such as metal straws and cloth menstrual pads.

Customers bring their own containers or use donated, sanitized jars provided by the store, purchasing only the quantity they need by weight.

This gram-by-gram model helps students and low-income shoppers stretch limited budgets while avoiding the single-use sachets that dominate Philippine retail.

Tingi Station works with small-scale local suppliers who deliver goods in reusable bulk containers that are returned for the next shipment, extending waste reduction up the supply chain.

The shop also hosts community events, shares its model with neighborhood sari-sari stores, and is developing an app-based delivery service and a membership program that tracks each customer's container refills.

Sourcing affordable, chemical-free products that meet zero-waste standards remains an ongoing challenge, and the founders say shifting broader consumer habits will require sustained education and collective effort.