Recycling while shopping may soon be as simple as dropping an empty bottle into a machine. Through a new partnership with global cleantech company Sparklo, SM Supermalls is rolling out smart recycling machines that make it easier for shoppers to dispose of plastic bottles responsibly during their mall visits.
The initiative expands the SM Green Recycling Machine (GRM) program under the SM Green Movement, SM Supermalls’ sustainability platform that encourages communities to adopt greener habits in their everyday lives. By placing these machines in convenient locations around SM malls, the program aims to make recycling a simple part of a typical day out.
Using the machine is quick and straightforward. Mallgoers simply place their empty PET plastic bottles into the Sparklo recycling unit. The machine then collects and sorts the bottles so they can be properly processed and recycled instead of ending up in landfills.
The program also encourages people to build small but meaningful habits that contribute to environmental protection. By turning routine mall visits into opportunities to recycle, SM hopes to inspire more shoppers to take simple steps toward sustainability.
For its initial rollout, SM installed 10 Green Recycling Machines in select locations including SM Mall of Asia, SM Aura, SM North EDSA, SM Megamall, SM Southmall, SM Seaside City Cebu, and SM Lanang.
More machines are expected to follow, with plans to roll out 30 additional units in other SM malls across the country.
