Creating infrastructure for plastic-free communities

As one of Southeast Asia’s largest integrated property developers, SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SM Prime) remains committed to creating thriving, sustainable cities by making a waste-free future as part of its environmental strategy.

In line with this, SM Prime joins the call to rethink single-use plastics (SUP) for one day on 25 May, the International Plastic-free Day.

SM Prime also bares the group-wide strides it made to support the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act of 2022.

The SM group, working with its Producer Responsibility Organization, Philippine Alliance for Recycling and Materials Sustainability, is pursuing a group-wide strategy to comply with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ EPR Act of 2022.

Formally known as Republic Act 11898, the EPR law requires companies to take responsibility for the recovery of their plastic packaging products and to pursue waste management programs.

Through its EPR working group committee, the SM group commits to a plan of action in reducing and recovering its plastic footprint within the given five-year period, sharing alternatives and new technologies to respond to the growing global crises, and establishing partnerships with government agencies and other private institutions.

As the property arm of the SM group, SM Prime’s commitment to a waste-free future aims to create the needed infrastructure that will help support and maintain plastic waste management strategies.

One such infrastructure is the Materials Recovery Facility and standardized waste segregation and management practices of the SM Group to help reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. A joint venture with a Japanese environmental solutions company, the SM GUUN Environmental Company, converts non-recyclable waste into cement fuel or “fluff fuel” for eco-conscious cement companies like APO Cement, Holcim and Taiheiyo Cement, as part of its “co-processing” practice.

Beyond compliance

SM Prime continues with its established programs such as the nationwide Trash to Cash recycling market. Since 2007, it has been one of SM Supermalls’ flagship programs that continues to be more relevant given the times.

Activating the SM malls to help their communities with sorted plastic waste, Trash to Cash incentivizes the exchange of recyclables to provide a venue for plastic recovery. Fifteen SM Plastic Waste Collection sites likewise serve as drop-off points for clean, empty, and dry plastics. In addition, the Solid Waste Action Program reverse vending machines at SM Megamall and SM Mall of Asia enable the diversion of aluminum cans and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, which are considered high-value plastic products.

The annual International Coastal Clean-up, supported by SM Cares, continues to empower volunteers to take part in this global effort for a record-breaking initiative. In 2024 alone, SM Cares helped mobilize 23,000 employees, students, and various communities that joined nationwide volunteer efforts to remove trash from the world’s beaches and waterways.

Waste-free future

Reduction is always the best option. The SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation has long since eliminated SUPs from all properties in support of the United Nations Environment Program’s campaign to phase them out. Pico Sands Hotel was also one of the first hotels to sign with the World-Wide Fund for Nature Philippines in their Ayoko Na Sa Plastic Campaign in 2018.

SMHCC has successfully replaced all single-use amenities, such as high-density polyethylene shampoo and shower gel bottles, and PET water bottles in all its hotel rooms.

Since 2019, as part of the SMX Convention Centers’ guidelines to promote sustainable events management practices, bamboo or starch-based environmentally friendly alternatives to replace plastic cutlery are encouraged to minimize waste generation.

Working collectively as a group to reduce the effects of the plastic waste crises creates a bigger impact at a greater scale. Through enhanced waste management systems, effective waste segregation practices, and proactive community effort, SM Prime aims to successfully divert a greater proportion of plastic waste away from landfills.

“Our work is never done. There are new technologies, innovative solutions, and more avenues for collaboration to look forward to in making the EPR Act work for our communities,” said Engr. Liza Silerio, vice president for corporate compliance and program director of SM Cares for Environment. “But we all have a role to play — it is every individual’s responsibility to create a waste-free future.”