The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is finding a new use for worn-out polymer banknotes by turning them into classroom furniture, extending the life of the country’s plastic currency even after it is withdrawn from circulation.
Nearly 100 armchairs made entirely from recycled polymer banknotes and manufacturing scraps were donated to Doña Pilar L. Marfori Elementary School in Davao City through the BSP Employees Association, Inc.’s (BSPEAI) Banknote-to-Armchair Project.
The turnover was led by BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto E. Tangonan, BSP Mindanao Regional Office Officer-in-Charge Jason P. Capocao, BSPEAI President Brent S. Lucero and Currency Policy and Integrity Department Director Eloisa T. Glindro. School principal Eloisa Questo received the donation on behalf of the school.
The armchairs were produced in partnership with Envirotech Waste Recycling Inc., which recycles unfit banknotes and manufacturing byproducts into classroom furniture.
Recycling built into the banknotes’ lifecycle
BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto E. Tangonan tells students of Doña Pilar L. Marfori Elementary School in Davao City that the donated armchairs were made from recycled banknotes during turnover ceremonies on July 22, 2026
Tangonan said the new banknotes were designed with end-of-life recycling in mind.
“Polymer banknotes follow a planned lifecycle from circulation to recycling. End-of-life management is built into their design,” he said.
The recycling project forms part of the BSP’s broader sustainability efforts as polymer banknotes gradually replace paper currency in circulation.
Unlike paper notes, polymer banknotes are designed to last longer and withstand everyday wear, reducing the need for frequent replacement.
BSP data illustrate the difference. From 2022 to May 2026, only 0.02% of the ₱1,000 polymer banknotes issued to banks were returned as worn out or damaged. Over the same period, 54.75% of ₱1,000 paper banknotes were returned because they were no longer fit for circulation.
The BSP also said it has not yet received any worn-out lower-denomination polymer banknotes since the ₱500, ₱100 and ₱50 polymer series entered circulation in December 2024.
From circulation to the classroom
BSP executives and students during the launch of central bank’s “Banknote-to-Armchair Project”
As more polymer banknotes reach the end of their usable life in the years ahead, the BSP said recycling will become an increasingly important part of managing the currency’s lifecycle.
Lucero said Doña Pilar L. Marfori Elementary School was selected after an assessment of schools that would benefit most from the project.
For the central bank, the initiative demonstrates that retired banknotes can still serve a practical purpose — this time, as classroom furniture instead of legal tender.
