PLDT, Smart extend e-waste collection through SEC offices

By Daniel Okafor

PLDT and Smart say they have collected and recovered 42.5 metric tons of e-waste since 2023, avoiding an estimated 17.3 metric tons of carbon emissions. Their recycling initiatives run through a network of more than 200 collection points nationwide, established with businesses, schools, local government units, cooperatives and other organizations.

What does the SEC partnership add?

Under a partnership with the SEC, PLDT and Smart will install “Be Kind. Recycle.” collection bins in the commission’s offices. Employees will use them for used and broken electronic devices tied to telecommunications and digital services.

The initiative also includes information campaigns for SEC employees and stakeholders about proper e-waste disposal and recycling. It extends the operators’ existing network of more than 200 collection points nationwide, established in cooperation with businesses, schools, local government units, cooperatives and other organizations.

The project forms part of the SEC Sustainability Week Program, which promotes environmental, social and governance practices and greater transparency in corporate sustainability reporting. The commission also encourages companies to align sustainability practices and reporting with international frameworks.

SEC Chair Francis Lim said: “The SEC strongly supports initiatives that incorporate sustainability into the core of corporate practices. We encourage all market participants to do their part in driving the shift to a more sustainable future.”

The SEC deal adds a workplace disposal route but discloses no bin count, collection target, installation deadline or amount of added processing capacity.

How large is the e-waste recovery program?

The operators’ reported recovery total of 42.5 metric tons covers waste gathered through their recycling initiatives since 2023. The companies say their 17.3 metric tons of avoided emissions equal the carbon absorbed by 286 tree seedlings grown over 10 years.

The announcement provides no future annual collection rate or tonnage target for the SEC offices. That leaves 42.5 metric tons as the only disclosed operating measure for the program.

PLDT and Smart intend to keep expanding access to formal recycling channels, particularly in communities where proper disposal facilities remain limited. Their plan supports the recovery, recycling and responsible disposal of electronic products.

The existing network provides the operating base, while the SEC project remains an announced expansion with no published scale or timetable.

Where does collected e-waste go?

Electronic waste collected from SEC offices will move to authorized treatment, storage and disposal facilities that work with PLDT and Smart. The companies said those facilities will ensure proper handling and compliance with applicable environmental and human-rights laws and regulations.

PLDT and Smart chair and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan said: “This partnership reflects our shared commitment towards supporting our country in managing the impacts of e-waste on our people and the environment, and in transitioning towards a circular economy.”

Authorized handling is the control point in the announced chain, although the announcement gives no facility names, throughputs or processing capacities.

What does the circularity pledge require?

PLDT and Smart chief sustainability officer Melissa Vergel de Dios tied the companies’ responsibility to the devices and network upgrades linked to their services:

“While we do not directly manufacture devices and electronics, we acknowledge that the use of our services and the continuous advancement of our network technology contribute to the generation of e-waste. We therefore embrace our responsibility to facilitate recovery and ensure proper disposal of consumer e-waste, particularly those associated with our products and services.”

Smart also works with device manufacturers that incorporate recycled materials into production processes. The company offers trade-in and trade-up programs for customers, extending its role beyond collection into material reuse and product replacement.

Both companies say the initiative supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly responsible consumption and production and partnerships for sustainable development. The partnership also backs broader SEC efforts to promote a circular economy through recovery, recycling and responsible disposal.

The next milestone is operational: PLDT and Smart need to show recovered tonnage from SEC offices, continued transfers to authorized facilities and wider access in communities with limited disposal options, with compliance with environmental and human-rights rules determining whether the pledge becomes a durable recycling channel rather than a reporting exercise.