Globe Telecom announced on Friday the debut of Asia’s first eco-SIM cards made of recovered refrigerator garbage.
The deployment, which began in November 2021 for select postpaid mobile users, was initiated to improve environmental sustainability, according to a statement from the Ayala-led telco.
Globe said it partnered with advanced technology firm Thales to create eco-SIM cards composed of 100 percent recycled materials, including polystyrene trash from refrigerators.
Thales and its eco-SIM technology are assisting Globe in meeting its e-waste targets, according to the company.
“This collaboration with the Thales Group not only allows us to develop a solution for our telco business, but it also gives our customers the chance to step up and choose to live more sustainably,” said Globe’s Chief Sustainability Officer and SVP for Corporate Communications Yoly Crisanto.
According to Globe, Thales’ eco-sim was created in collaboration with Veolia and has a “zero carbon footprint.”
“The Eco-SIM card is little, but it has a tremendous impact on plastic and polymer waste, and it is another example of how we innovate to promote change,” said Thales Digital Identity & Security Head of Mobile Connectivity Solutions for Asia Jon Cahilig.
Despite being one of the smallest consumer items at only 4 grams each, Globe estimates that over 4.5 billion SIM cards are created annually, which is equivalent to approximately 20,000 tons of plastic and other polymers or the weight of approximately 4,000 jeepneys.
Globe introduced eSIM, an alternative to physical SIM cards, in 2018.