PriceSmart is committed to minimizing the environmental impact associated with waste generated in our operations and to raising environmental awareness among our employees, Members, and visitors. Through the Company's actions and practices, PriceSmart strives to prevent, reduce, and control its environmental impact by managing waste generated by the business unit's responsibility.

Waste Management Program

For PriceSmart, proper waste management is a fundamental part of our environmental responsibility and business integrity. As part of our commitment to proper waste management, the Sustainability Team, in partnership with the Operations Department, leads the Corporate Solid Waste Management Program. This program provides guidelines to manage solid waste disposal. In addition, the program integrates the management of solid waste generated during business operation and by our employees, Members and visitors during their time in our clubs. The objective of this program is to manage waste through reduction, reuse, and recycling to prevent it from going to a landfill.

Our team has identified the various kinds of waste generated and whether third party waste management solutions are available for use by our clubs in each of the countries where PriceSmart operates. Where applicable, our team is now in the process of contracting with a waste management service in each country to meet the needs of our clubs.

Corporate Solid Waste Management Program

Waste Diverted From Disposal - FY24 Data

Waste Diverted From Disposal, Data from 22
Category Weight (Metric Tons)
Cardboard 10,502.10
Plastic 691
Fryer oil 170.4
Scrap Metal 94.4
Large Appliances 1.7
Aluminium/Cans 16.4
Glass 7.3
Electronics 5.3
Lead 1.7
Tetra Brik 1.3
Fluorescent Lights 0.7
Office batteries 0.5
Paper 13.6
Total - 11,507

Waste Diverted From Disposal - FY22 Data

Waste Diverted From Disposal, Data from 22
Category Units
Car batteries 83,673
Electronics 1,891
Fluorescent Lights 1,720
Pallets 415,185
Tires 115,339
Ink cartridges 26
Total - 617,834

Engaging Our Local Teams

Our local teams play a vital role in our environmental efforts. In FY2024, they contributed by conducting approximately 920 “eco-walks,” which help minimize our environmental impact by ensuring infrastructure and equipment at each Club are functioning properly. In addition, in FY2024 13 new safety supervisors completed training on internal environmental modules, and our employees completed more than 670 environmental awareness training sessions totaling more than 3,360 work hours on topics including waste management, water and energy conservation, climate change, and others.

Corporate Solid Waste Management Program

Recycling Stations

Recycling Stations

At PriceSmart, we are committed to helping the environment by redirecting materials from disposal in landfills so they can be recycled and reused. In addition to the public recycling stations at all three of our clubs in Honduras and two of our clubs in Guatemala, in FY2024 we partnered with Parque Industrial Verde to offer recycling stations at two of our clubs in El Salvador, Santa Elena and San Miguel. This brings the number of clubs with recycling stations to seven. In FY2024, these public recycling stations helped divert a total of 1,148 tons of material from landfills. We look forward to adding new recycling stations in FY2025.