Skip to main content

From Bin it Right to #SMWasteFreeFuture: How SM minimizes landfill impact


The SM Waste-Free Future initiative endeavors to reduce waste generation and increase the rate of diversion.

It is not “out of sight, out of mind”; landfills are not just eyesores in remote areas, but they also pose a 
significant health risk to the communities around them and emit a substantial amount of greenhouse gases from decaying food waste.


The RDC, or Recyclable, Disposable, and Compostable bins at SM Supermalls, are not only for show but 
serve as the start of the journey to achieve a net-zero landfill and beyond.



For recyclable waste, SM has initiatives like the "Trash to Cash" recycling market, which successfully 
gathers over 1 million kilograms annually of plastic, paper, and other materials for reuse or recycling. The 
program aims to reduce solid waste pollution and promote a circular economy within communities. SM 
understands the importance of segregating at the source, and the company does this through partnerships with various companies, such as Trust International Paper Corporation for internal bulk paper recycling. The 
program has avoided landfill waste equivalent to the annual waste of more than 3,000 households while 
ensuring recyclables are properly processed.

For disposable, non-recyclable waste, SM Prime formed a joint venture with the Japanese environmental 
solutions company GUUN to establish SM GUUN Environmental Company, Inc. (SGECI). This partnership 
enhances its waste-to-fuel factory to convert non-recyclable waste, like single-use plastics, non-recyclable 
paper, and used rags, into cement fuel called “fluff fuel” to reduce coal usage. The “fluff fuel” produced is then used by eco-conscious cement companies like APO Cement, Holcim, and Taiheiyo Cement in a practice they call “co-processing,” where the ash from the fuel is also used as a cement ingredient, making it an integral 
part of the waste reduction ecosystem.

In 2024, SM GUUN Environmental Company converted over 6,000 metric tons of non-recyclable waste into 
“fluff fuel,” avoiding the annual landfill burden for 12,000 households. The Department of Environment and 
Natural Resources (DENR) recently visited the facility and recognized its significance to various stakeholders, particularly in the reduction of their carbon footprints and the efficient management of solid waste. 


For compostable waste, SM GUUN is experimenting with a Singaporean system for its malls and hawker 
centers that transforms compostable food residues into landscape soil, achieving over 70% volume reduction 
within 48 hours. This helps create new soil for gardens, parks, and golf courses, thereby reducing the burden 
on landfills and contributing to soil health and urban greenery.


SM has other customer-facing programs on solid waste management, like the Plastic Waste Collection 
program, E-Waste Collection, as well as awareness campaigns for clean water bodies and regular estero and 
coastal cleanup activities. These programs are also done to support the government in promoting responsible 
solid waste management through RA 9004, RA 11898, and similar laws.

With solutions identified, the journey towards SM’s #SMWasteFreeFuture becomes more realistic. It needs the help of everyone--from the proper way we “Bin it Right” to the further development of waste solutions to 
create an ecosystem of recovery and consumption where the word “waste” can be a thing of the past. Let’s do 
our part for the journey to a “waste-free future.”

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

#MothersDayAtSM: Quality Time Ideas for MOMS

Celebrate the mother figures in your life with a day full of love, indulgence, and unforgettable  experiences— only at SM Supermalls. From food and gifts to well-deserved pampering, this is the  perfect place to planthe  ultimate day she’ll never forget!

OVER 10,000 RUNNERS ROCK THE BLOCK AT THE MUSIC RUN™ BY PHILAM VITALITY IN MANILA

An infectious and energetic blend of music filled the atmosphere at McKinley West as over 10,000 participants, a.k.a. Music Runners™ ran, danced and partied at the second edition of The Music Run™ by Philam Vitality . The event, hailed in other countries as the Ultimate 5k Running and Music Festival , returned to Manila bigger and bolder following a smash-hit debut at the Philippine Arena last year.

How Much Do You Know About Hollywood’s Grandest Trophies?

Fun facts about the awards season’s most prestigious icons The awards season will soon be in full throttle and it won’t be long before the red carpet rolls out for the luminaries of Hollywood’s music, film, and television scenes. There are a lot of things we watch out for as the countdown begins to some of Hollywood’s brightest nights: the Golden Globe Awards, People’s Choice Awards, and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards ceremonies. While we wait to have a glimpse of the best celebrity outfits, the most gorgeous celebrity couples, and   the most stirring acceptance speeches, it is the fervent hope of the night’s nominees to bring home symbols of dramatic milestones for their careers.   While the guesses keep coming in as to who will emerge most triumphant this awards season, we take a look at the precious mementoes that the nights’ nominees hope to win.