A programme designed to reduce the environmental impact of the disposal of e-waste has been expanded to Zambia.

The Product Take-Back programme has been launched in the East African nation through a partnership between local telecoms service provider Airtel Networks Zambia and multinational networking and telecoms company Ericsson. Ericsson’s campaign to reduce e-waste has been in operation since 2005, and is active in 180 countries across the globe.

The aim of the e-waste awareness and collection initiative is to ensure safe and responsible disposal of end-of-life material. As per the 2020 Global E-waste Monitor, Zambia generated 19 kt of e-waste during 2019, though no data is available for the amount collected and recycled. Earlier this year, IT Web reported that the country had no facility to manage e-waste in an environmentally safe manner.

The partnership will work towards educating the general public on safe-disposal measures, while Ericsson will provide free product-retrieval and safe-disposal services.

‘We believe that the adoption of responsible e-waste disposal techniques will help to manage the impact on the environment,’ says Airtel CEO and MD Apoorva Mehrotra. ‘We are collaborating with Ericsson in e-waste management to not only evacuate the waste but also educate the general public and all key stakeholders about the importance of the proper disposal of e-waste in the country.’

27 October 2020
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