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Mobily and Ericsson sign agreement to recycle old electronic devices in Saudi Arabia

The partnership is in line with Mobily’s efforts to reduce its emissions through using environmentally responsible methods for recycling old devices

by Divsha Bhat

October 21, 2021

Mobily has announced an agreement with Ericsson to recycle expired and discarded electronic devices in ways that contribute to preserving the environment.

Eng. Alaa Malki, chief technology officer, represented Mobily in signing the agreement during GITEX 2021, while Ericsson was represented by Ekow Nelson, vice president of Ericsson Middle East and Africa.

Mobily will join the Ericsson Product Take-Back Programme in accordance with the agreement to improve customer convenience and recycle discarded electronic devices for safe and responsible disposal.

The Ericsson Product Take-Back Programme is responsible for the disposal and recycling of electrical equipment at the end-of-life stage. This is done based on the highest international industry standards through the collection, decommissioning, transportation, and environmentally sound recycling of obsolete technology hardware.

The programme is part of Ericsson’s extended producer responsibility which aims for environment-friendly recycling through product retrieval and safe disposal services.

“Waste from electrical and electronic equipment (e-waste) is one of the fastest-growing environmental hazards in the world,” commented Ekow Nelson, vice president of Ericsson Middle East and Africa.

He continued: “The telecom industry has a huge role to play in reducing e-Waste and this is a reason why Mobily and Ericsson have partnered in the Product Take-Back Programme. The programme would enable Mobily to recycle large quantities of obsolete technological equipment responsibly thereby reducing the environmental impact in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia whilst complementing Mobily’s efforts in becoming a socially responsible telecom operator.”

By working together with Ericsson, Mobily seeks to put the environment at the forefront of its business operations and raise awareness about the best e-waste disposal and recycling practices across the industry.

Read: Dubai-based DGrade recycles PET bottles into high-quality sustainable clothing