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| (Image Source: INQUIRER.net/Globe Telecom) |
Do you have old mobile phones, excess cables, chargers, broken television sets, DVD players or any other non-working electronic device you need to dispose of without being added to the piles of garbage slated to be sent towards the landfills? Well, if so, then let Globe Telecom help you let go of them safely? Continuing to provide reliable voice and data connection, the premiere purveyor of the Filipino digital lifestyle is keen on doing its part on lessening the harm caused by the improper disposal of materials, especially electronic waste or e-waste, in order to create a clean and safe environment for people to live in.
More than 100 bins under the Globe E-waste Zero program are now placed in different collection points nationwide such as Globe Stores and malls, which the public can easily access. These bins can accommodate mobile phones, IT accessories such as mouse, earphones, and speakers; Internet and WiFi modems and routers; cable wires, batteries, circuit boards, CDs /DVDs and other small electronic devices. Bigger items such as computer sets, IT servers and electronic network equipment (antennas, transmitters, etc.), and home appliances (washing machine, oven, refrigerator, etc.) may be requested for pick up. “Globe recognizes the importance of taking this extra step in ensuring e-wastes are disposed of properly and can’t be harmful to the environment. We would like to enjoin our customers to help dispose of e-waste properly,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Chief Sustainability Officer and SVP for Corporate Communications.
E-waste is made up of different materials that are toxic and hazardous, making the process of recycling risky for those who are not trained properly and who do not have the necessary facilities to do it. According to the UN Environment Programme, it is estimated that more than 50 million metric tons of e-waste is produced globally per year and its continued importation and increased local generation is a cause for concern. Roughly 80% of these e-waste ends up in landfills, pollute the environment and make informal communities susceptible to the hazards of e-waste. According to a recent study made by UNIDO and EcoWaste Coalition, only 28 out of the 135 registered Treatment, Storage, and Disposal (TSD) facilities in the Philippines process e-waste. While the informal sector benefits from these discarded items, their methods of dismantling and recycling e-wastes are unconventional and against approved government standards.
In response to this, Globe’s e-waste program not only promotes proper disposal but also educates people about the potential harm of e-waste to the environment and the overall benefits of e-waste recycling. Proper e-waste recycling conserves natural resources. Instead of extracting raw materials, valuable materials from old electronics can be turned into new glass, plastic chairs, filament for 3D printing, and reuse the extracted alloys. E-waste recycling avoids unnecessary dumps in landfills. It provides proper handling and management of toxic chemical substances and helps avoid possible leakage especially towards water streams. It also prevents possible health hazards to informal communities living near dumpsites and whose main source of income is the manual processing of these disposed devices. In 2020 alone, the program managed to collect and responsibly dispose of over 250,000 kg of e-waste, bringing the total collection to more than 1.4 million kg since 2014. These e-wastes are delivered to Globe’s partner Treatment, Storage, and Disposal (TSD) facilities, namely Total Environment Solutions – Asset Material Management Philippines (TES-AMM) in Pasig City, and Maritrans Recycler, Inc. in Cebu. E-wastes are segregated to recover plastic materials, electronic components, and precious metals but the final recycling process is done in TES-AMM’s facility in Singapore.
“We are thankful to have partners and contributors, composed of more than 66 corporations, private organizations, NGOs, local government partners and schools nationwide that share Globe’s commitment of building a better and safer world for future generations. We encourage more individuals and organizations to join us in this advocacy. Let us all work together in keeping our planet safe from the harm posed by improper e-waste disposal,” Crisanto added. Visit any of the participating Globe stores nationwide or request for free door-to-door pickup of bulky e-waste items. For the list of drop off areas and and bulk hauling requests, check out E-waste Zero on Globe’s sustainability website at https://www.globe.com.ph/about-us/sustainability/environment.html.
Globe remains committed to the 10 UN Global Compact principles and contributes to 10 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals such as UN SDG No. 12 – Sustainable Consumption and Production, which is about achieving economic growth and sustainable development by urgently reducing ecological footprint. It is also about decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation, increasing resource efficiency and promoting sustainable lifestyles by changing the way we produce and consume goods and resources.
