Together with Nokia, SM City Batangas and other SM malls nationwide launched the Battery/Cellphone Waste Collection – a joint project aimed to give awareness to the public on how to properly dispose of their broken cellphones and its parts to prevent harmful effects to the health of the people and the environment.
Lawrence Calingasan, SM City Batangas Mall Manager, headed the said project. He said that proper disposal of torn cellphone and its parts should be one of the priorities of the people in caring for the environment.
SM Malls put Nokia Cellphone Battery Recycling Bins in all their mall branches nationwide to promote the project. For every kilo of recyclable materials from disposed cellphones and parts, SM and Nokia shall donate a corresponding amount for the maintenance of La Mesa watershed.
Aside from environmental protection, this project also aims to shield the health of the people from damaging effects they could get from improper disposal of broken cellphones and batteries. According to a study, cellphone batteries have lead content that if disposed of improperly could cause poisoning, loss of appetite, and severe headache.
According to Calingasan, since 2007, SM City Batangas have sought alliance from Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), National Solid Waste Commission (NSWMC), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Batangas City Government, and other organizations to implement their environmental projects.
These include the proper waste segregation of SM tenants, waste disposal management in the entire mall, and the monthly “Trash to Cash” recycling market event.