Give Your Empty PET Bottles a Second Life at SM Supermalls

Mamas, that empty plastic bottle in your bag or car no longer has to end up in the trash. Thanks to SM Supermalls’ newly deployed Green Recycling Machines (GR Machines), doing your part for the environment is now easier and more rewarding than ever.

With the nationwide reach of SM Supermalls, SM Prime Holdings Inc. is making sustainable habits more accessible to Filipino families, one PET bottle at a time. Instead of heading to landfills, your empty bottles now have a better destination and a meaningful purpose.

According to SM Supermalls President Steven Tan, the GR Machines strengthen SM’s existing environmental initiatives under the SM Green Movement. By placing these machines in malls across the country, SM invites everyday mallgoers to become partners in caring for the environment simply by recycling whenever they visit their most loved SM mall.

The machines are very easy to use (yes, even kids can understand them with supervision!). Each GR Machine accepts PET bottles up to two liters, compressing them on-site. Nationwide, the machines can hold up to 5,000 bottles per collection cycle, which are then picked up by SM’s hauling partner, Sentinel, and transformed into reusable items like food trays.

From bottle to something useful, now that’s recycling with purpose.

Did you know that the Philippines leaks over 300 million metric tons of plastic waste into the sea each year, according to the World Bank? That’s about 9% of improperly handled plastic waste, making our country one of the top contributors to ocean plastic pollution in East Asia and the Pacific.

SM recognizes that protecting the environment isn’t something one company can do alone. That’s why, through its properties nationwide, SM encourages customers and communities to take part in simple, everyday sustainable actions especially when it comes to plastic waste.

Through SM Cares, its corporate social responsibility arm, SM has long been empowering communities to practice sustainability in easy and accessible ways. Since 2007, SM has been improving waste segregation and recycling efforts, starting with its pioneering Trash to Cash program.

Many of us are already familiar with Trash to Cash, where recyclables like plastic, paper, and metal can be exchanged for cash monthly. SM also introduced Reverse Vending Machines at SM Mall of Asia and SM Megamall, allowing customers to recycle aluminum cans and PET bottles in exchange for discounts on sports and leisure attractions.

On top of that, SM regularly organizes nationwide coastal clean-up drives, powered by the dedication of its employee volunteers. The new GR Machines build on these efforts, making recycling part of our everyday routine, not just a once-in-a-while activity.

Turning good intentions into daily green habits is simple:

It’s a small action that teaches kids responsibility, gives families a sense of contribution, and helps protect the environment we’re leaving behind.

According to SM, the GR Machines are just one way the company aims to support the circular economy, where waste is reduced and materials are reused all for Filipinos. With continued collaboration between SM and its customers, these simple acts can lead to a more sustainable future for everyone.

You can now find SM Green Recycling Machines at the following malls:

As a mom, it feels good to know that even during regular mall errands, we can teach our kids that caring for the environment starts with small, intentional choices. Next time you’re at SM, don’t throw that bottle away. Feed it into a GR Machine and be part of something bigger.