Zobels tap Razon's waste management firm in Cebu


Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) and its real estate investment trust AREIT Inc. (AREIT) have entered into a strategic partnership with the tycoon Enrique K. Razon’s Prime Integrated Waste Solutions, Inc. (PWS) facility in Cebu City to recover solid waste from its office buildings.

In a statement, ALI said this partnership will revolutionize regional waste management practices by leveraging PWS’s advanced resource recovery facility.

 

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L-R: Prime Infra’s Market Sector Lead for Waste Cara Peralta, Prime Infra Chief Finance Officer Sandy Alipio, Prime Infra President and CEO Guillaume Lucci, Ayala Land Senior Vice-President, Leasing and Hospitality Head Mariana Zobel de Ayala, Ayala Land Chief Sustainability Officer Robert Lao, and AREIT President and Ayala Land Offices Head Carol Mills during the ceremonial signing last June 26, 2024 in Makati.

 

This initiative aims to recover 80 percent to 90 percent of solid waste from eight office buildings through segregation and treatment methods. These properties include eBloc Towers 1 to 4, Central Bloc Towers 1 & 2, Tech Tower, and Ayala Center Cebu Tower.

Ayala Land Senior Vice-President, Leasing and Hospitality Head Mariana Zobel de Ayala said, “With the help of PWS’ state of the art facility in Cebu, we look forward to reducing 80 percent of the waste generated by our Cebu office portfolio, by year-end.”

“We are proud to note that this will secure Ayala Land’s position as the largest office portfolio to commit to a circular economy approach – and will mean 359 tons of waste diverted from landfills in the area.

“This effort is a move forward towards our significant sustainability objectives. We currently manage the largest portfolio of properties using renewable energy sources and are also the largest office portfolio certified Edge Zero Carbon, in the country,” Zobel added.

She said that this not only signifies a partnership between Ayala Land, AREIT, and Prime Integrated Waste Solutions, but also reinforces the companies’ commitment to establishing higher benchmarks for responsible and sustainable development in the country.

With plans underway to replicate their success with additional facilities in Luzon, Ayala Land, AREIT, and Prime Infra, they are poised to expand their partnership, further advancing sustainable waste management practices in other commercial properties.

 “Our partnership with Prime Waste Cebu represents a pivotal milestone in our sustainability journey,” said Carol Mills, President of AREIT and Head of Ayala Land Offices.

She added, “By adopting cutting-edge waste management technologies, we are not only mitigating our environmental footprint but also setting new benchmarks for the industry.”

“We are excited to collaborate with ALI and AREIT, who share our commitment to pioneering waste management solutions that promote a cleaner and more sustainable future for all stakeholders,” said Prime Infra’s Market Sector Lead for Waste Cara Peralta.

She noted, “This partnership underscores Ayala Land’s leadership in driving industry-wide transformation and reinforces their commitment to sustainability.”

Ayala Land Chief Sustainability Officer Robert Lao said, “At Ayala Land, sustainability is ingrained in our corporate DNA. Our alliance with Prime Integrated Waste Solutions exemplifies our proactive approach to environmental stewardship, aiming to foster enduring positive impacts within the communities we serve.

Ayala Land’s sustainability efforts extend beyond waste management. Innovative projects convert plastic waste into valuable construction materials such as brick pavers, fencing materials, plastic pallets, and low-carbon concrete.

In 2023 alone, these initiatives diverted 359 tons of plastic waste from landfills, demonstrating their commitment to circular economy principles.

Guillaume Lucci, President and CEO of Prime Infra, said, “The industry is evolving rapidly, driven by innovators like Ayala Land who integrate waste management into their core business strategies.

“We look forward to partnering with more forward-thinking companies committed to reducing methane emissions and advancing sustainable waste solutions.”

PWS, a subsidiary of Razon-led Prime Infra, operates the Philippines’ first two automated Materials Recovery Facility (MRF).

The facility is equipped with state-of-the-art technologies from Europe and Asia, including vibrating sieves, baler systems, magnetic separators, and air density separators. It maximizes resource recovery and minimizes landfill use.

Their strategic focus includes converting segregated plastic waste into refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and other valuable resources.