Caring for the environment through proper electronic waste (e-waste) management and disposal is part of Globe’s contribution to achieving a circular economy, the company said in a statement.
Circular economy is a process wherein the value of goods is maximized to produce zero or the least waste possible, Globe said.
“In a circular economy, we don’t just talk about recycling, [but we also start] reassessing our purchasing habits,” said Rofil Magto, Globe Climate Action Lead for Sustainability and Social Responsibility during the #TEPTalks webinar on eco-friendly solutions for sustainable innovation.
“We need to influence our fellow Filipinos to refuse acquiring new and unnecessary gadgets and always aim to reduce, reuse and recycle electronic wastes. These efforts will help avoid the continuous extraction of raw materials and conserve our precious natural resources,” Magto said at the talk organized by the UP Circuit, a student organization at the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute of the University of the Philippines Diliman.
The talk is part of the organization’s The E-Waste Project (TEP), a year-long advocacy campaign to raise awareness on proper e-waste disposal and management through seminars and collection drives.
“Our goal is to raise awareness, educate, and encourage individuals to join the fight for a greener environment,” said Sam Oguing and Jewel Cusipag, TEP Overall Heads.
They explained: “Amid the pandemic, we continue to pursue social media campaigns, online activities and webinars to provide a platform for the public where they can learn about e-waste and its impact on our environment.”
“As a company that remains mindful of how we affect the community, we always innovate our products and services, engage public and private stakeholders and collaborate with government agencies to work on proactive climate initiatives,” said Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability Officer and SVP for Corporate Communications.
Through its E-waste Zero program, Globe has set up about 120 e-waste drop-off points across the country to ensure that end-of-life electronic devices like old mobile phones and non-working gadgets and appliances do not end up in landfills.
The company also collects e-waste with a minimum weight of 10 kg through requests made via the Globe Sustainability website.
E-waste Zero was also recognized by the GSMA, the international organization representing various mobile operators worldwide, as one of the global best practices in e-waste management.
The collected e-waste is delivered to Globe’s partner treatment, storage and disposal facilities: Total Environment Solutions-Asset Material Management Philippines in Pasig City and Maritrans Recycler, Inc. in Cebu.
E-waste is made up of toxic and hazardous materials such as mercury, lead, cadmium, barium and beryllium, making the process of recycling risky for those who are not trained properly and who do not have the necessary facilities to do it.
The UN Environment Programme reported that only 20 percent of e-waste are recycled and roughly 80 percent end up in landfills, pollute the environment and make informal communities susceptible to the hazards of e-waste.
The United Nations Global E-Waste Monitor 2020 reported that 53.6 million metric tonnes of e-waste were generated in 2019 alone.
In the Philippines, the Global Environment Facility estimated that around 3.9 kg of e-waste per person were generated during the same year.