As more and more communities strive to adopt circular practices and increasingly recognize the need for proper electronic waste (e-waste) disposal, PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and its wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) are gearing up to further expand their program on e-waste and support more localized ecosystems for responsible e-waste management.
E-waste refers to broken and discarded electronics, such as mobile phones, computers, tablets, routers, and other devices with batteries and plugs.
According to the Global E-waste Monitor 2024 report by the International Telecommunication Union and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, the Philippines is the third highest generator of e-waste in Southeast Asia with about 540 million kilograms of e-waste.
“While PLDT and Smart are not direct manufacturers of electronics, we acknowledge that our delivery of services and continuous network upgrades contribute to the generation of e-waste in the country. We have thus made it part of our business to facilitate recovery and ensure proper disposal of consumer e-waste where we can,” explained PLDT and Smart Chief Sustainability Officer Melissa Vergel de Dios.
In their interactions and consultations with various stakeholder communities, Smart Vice President and Group Head for Channel Management Jacqueline Bocalan noted the continuously growing clamor among consumers for accessible and credible means to properly dispose of and recycle e-waste. This affirms one of the identified challenges in the Global E-waste Monitor 2024 report regarding the lack of access to proper e-waste disposal facilities and infrastructure in the country.
“A lot of our customer communities would reach out and ask us how they could properly discard their old devices and set-up e-waste collection activities in their areas. Seeing how these matter to our customers and leveraging PLDT and Smart’s access to formal e-waste recyclers and disposal facilities, we have taken on the role of putting puzzle pieces together and helping communities establish working ecosystems for responsible e-waste management,” said Bocalan.
Since the launch of their “Be Kind. Recycle.” e-waste management program in July 2023, PLDT and Smart have activated almost 180 e-waste collection sites and community partners nationwide by the end of December 2024. These have led to an increase in the overall accessibility of proper e-waste disposal sites to their customers and the general public, as well as an expansion in service areas and consumer collection rates of their partner e-waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities accredited by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau.
“This program started small with just our own employees, and then we expanded to put up collection bins in some of our retail stores in Metro Manila and Luzon. Now, the program has been expanding nationwide and continues to grow organically as a business and customer-driven initiative,” shared Vergel de Dios.
To-date, PLDT and Smart have stationed e-waste collection bins in 37 of their retail stores in Metro Manila and Luzon, in three branches of Robinsons Malls in Metro Manila, in Makati Medical Center, and in more than 80 branches of SM Supermalls nationwide. In addition, the telcos have been integrating e-waste collections in sales events and trade engagements with local cooperatives and residential communities in various parts of the country.
PLDT and Smart have also been rolling out e-waste collection campaigns in premises of their enterprise customers, as well as in partner school communities, particularly in different campuses of National University, Arellano University, San Beda University, and Saint Louis University, among others.
“We find very encouraging the youth’s support and keen interest on this program, and on circularity as a principle. Our goal is to continuously enable them to participate more actively in programs like this and encourage them to keep using their voice, creativity, and access to digital technology to make a difference in their communities,” said Bocalan.
As they target further expansion to more sites and community partners this 2025, PLDT and Smart are also strengthening collaborations with their partner e-waste facilities to enhance collection process efficiency and sustainability, and report better on their quantified collective impact.
Organizations and communities that wish to collaborate with PLDT and Smart on e-waste management may reach out to the telcos via their corporate sustainability email address at sustainability@pldt.com.ph.
PLDT and Smart undertake these initiatives in support of the country’s goal to transition to a circular economy and contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production.
