Your empty PET bottles now have a better destination than the landfill—and SM is helping make that happen.
SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SM Prime) is making recycling easier and more rewarding for mallgoers with the rollout of its Green Recycling Machines (GR Machines) in select SM Supermalls nationwide. By using the reach of its malls, SM is turning sustainability into a simple habit that anyone can take part in.
The GR Machines are designed to be user-friendly and can accept PET bottles of up to two liters. Once deposited, the bottles are compressed inside the machine. Across all locations, the machines can collectively hold up to 5,000 bottles per collection cycle. These compressed PET blocks are then picked up by SM’s hauling partner, Sentinel, which transforms them into reusable items such as food trays—giving plastic waste a second life instead of letting it end up in the environment.
The need for solutions like this is urgent. According to the World Bank, the Philippines leaks over 300 million metric tons of plastic waste into the ocean every year, making up about 9 percent of its improperly managed plastic waste. The country is also among the top contributors to ocean plastic pollution in East Asia and the Pacific.
SM recognizes that protecting the environment is a shared responsibility. Through SM Cares, its corporate social responsibility arm, the company has long worked with customers and communities to promote sustainable practices. These efforts include the Trash to Cash recycling market launched in 2007, reverse vending machines at SM Mall of Asia and SM Megamall, and annual nationwide coastal clean-up drives led by employee volunteers.
With the introduction of GR Machines, recycling becomes a quick, three-step routine: insert your PET bottle, confirm your deposit on the screen, and receive your reward.
GR Machines are now available at SM North EDSA, SM City San Lazaro, SM Megamall, SM The Podium, SM Aura, SM Southmall, SM Mall of Asia, S’Maison, SM Seaside City Cebu, and SM Lanang.
