San Miguel Corp.’s (SMC) packaging unit San Miguel Yamamura Packaging Corp. has signed on to boost Quezon City’s trash-to-cashback program to help divert garbage away from landfills and, together with waste solutions and technology partners, is eyeing to expand the program to Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
Ramon S. Ang, SMC president and chief executive officer, said SMYPC is joining the program to share its expertise on circular economy–in particular, recycling of glass, which had been the missing component of the ongoing initiative.
The “Trash-to-Cashback” program, implemented by the QC government in partnership with waste management solutions firm Basic Environmental Systems and Technologies, Inc. (BEST, Inc.) and technology partner BXTRA Philippines (bXTRA), utilizes the firms’ “My Basurero” app which accepts requests for waste collection, including recyclables.
Through the program, they can exchange their recyclables and single-use plastics for “environmental points’ which they can use to pay for utility bills such as electricity, water, and internet services through the Bayad App; avail grocery items through the Trash to Cashback Mart; and order food deliveries from the partner merchants.
“We are honored to be welcomed by the QC local government as a partner in this important and truly innovative project that teaches and incentivizes citizens to minimize their impact on the environment, and segregating their household wastes,” said Ang.
“I’m more than confident that SMYPC’s world-class expertise and long experience in zero-waste or circular economy practices will contribute significantly to the realization of our shared goal of addressing solid waste pollution, and promoting sustainability in our communities,” he added.
While the program had been making headway in the recovery of recyclables and single-use plastics, it had not been able to include glass wastes in its collection as there was previously no partner that could process the materials properly and sustainably.
SMYPC is now on board and has committed to purchase all glass and cullet to be collected, which it will then recycle and make into new glass products. SMYPC’s glass business uses a significant percentage of recycled glass in its manufacturing line.
“Glass will not decompose if left in landfills, but it is highly recyclable and can be reused endlessly without any adverse effects on quality or safety. Producing glass products using recycled material also uses up significantly less energy. It’s a system that benefits all, and the only challenge is making sure we can collect as many used glass materials as we can,” Ang continued.
Glass produced from recycled material also reduces related air pollution by 20 percent and related water pollution by as much as 50 percent, according to the World Wildlife Fund for Nature.
Ang said SMYPC, BEST, Inc. and bXTRA are in talks with several Metro Manila LGUs to implement the trash-for-cash and glass collection program in other cities “very soon.”
