Ericsson provided an update on an e-waste recycling scheme with MTN Group’s Benin unit, claiming it helped the African operator repurpose more than 123-tonnes of electronic equipment in two years.
The vendor explained in a statement the collaboration is part of its initiative designed to help companies collect and repurpose electronic waste, adding its partnership with MTN Benin is aligned with the latter’s sustainability goals.
Ericsson claimed it aided MTN’s local unit in collecting, decommissioning and recycling more than 123-tonnes of waste electrical and electronic equipment since 2021, using “Ericsson-approved recyclers” in South Africa to support the process.
Benin has seen an increase in the generation of e-waste due to the uptake of technology, with the companies referring to a study which revealed the country produced 9.2-kilotonnes of e-waste in 2019 alone.
MTN Benin CEO Uche Ofodile said the collaboration enables the company to ensure its “decommissioned network equipment is recycled responsibly, and that valuable materials and components are extracted for re-use, reducing our environmental impact, and supporting a circular economy”.
Hossam Kandeel, VP and head of global customer unit for MTN at Ericsson added: “Improper disposal of electronic components can harm the environment by increasing greenhouse gas emissions and causing damage to biodiversity and human health. The programme enables us to recycle end-of-life electronic and electrical equipment in a responsible and sustainable way.”
