Qatar Telecom (Qtel) has shipped a container full of electronic waste (e-Waste) for safe recycling under its pioneering e-Waste Recycling Programme.

The programme, which collects unwanted electronic material from the public at Qtel shops and partner sites across the country, has proven to be a major success, collecting tonnes of potentially dangerous material for safe recycling, the company said.

For the latest shipment, a total of 4,423 kilos – more than four tonnes – of waste was gathered in a large container and shipped to Singapore from Qatar.

Included in the shipment were more than 15 boxes of old and unwanted phones, more than a hundred keyboards, around 50 printers and 15 photocopiers. The shipment also contained around 60 outdated answering machines, and a box of broken computer controllers, reflecting the wide range of material disposed of through the e-Waste initiative.

“Qtel’s e-Waste initiative is an important social partnership that is making a key contribution to making our society cleaner and more energy efficient,” said Adel Al Mutawa, executive director, Group Communications, Qtel.

Qtel’s partners on this project include Agility Gulf, EnviroServe, QDVC, and the United Development Company (UDC).

All Qtel Shops, as well as sites and offices of the partners in the programme, host corrugated drop boxes that are easily accessible to customers who wish to recycle e-waste.

To encourage people to recycle e-waste responsibly, Qtel hosts regular raffle draw to reward e-waste donors and to keep the idea of recycling fresh in people’s minds.

The company also hosts special “Big Drop Days”, where people can dispose of larger e-waste items, such as TVs, refrigerators and other kitchen appliances, computers and printers. A number of large corporations have worked with Qtel to dispose of their unwanted electronic items to coincide with the “Big Drop Days.”

The next “Big Drop Day” is scheduled for  April 2.-TradeArabia News Service