Bharti Airtel Lanka, a subsidiary of Bharti Airtel, a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, today announced a strategic partnership with Green Links Lanka to embark on a project of e-waste management.

Airtel Lanka, as a brand that has great focus on sustainability of the environment, and as a licensed mobile telecom operator in Sri Lanka, has identified its responsibility towards reducing the impact made on the environment as much as possible. Consequently, Airtel Lanka signed a MoU to secure e-waste management services provided by Green Links Lanka.

The project, which is woven around a mobile phone recycling program, will be launched in several districts across the country. Airtel Lanka will place e-waste collection bins provided by Green Links Lanka at strategic locations where the public can conveniently dispose their unusable mobile phones.

Commenting on this CSR initiative Suren Goonewardene, CEO/MD –Bharti Airtel Lanka said, “As a global telecommunication provider, Airtel Lanka believes in the importance of maintaining a responsible attitude towards the environment. We expect that with this initiative for mobile phone recycling, the adverse impact made on the environment with disposed mobile phones can be minimised.”

Nalin Gunaratne, MD – Green Links Lanka said, “As Sri Lanka’s first and pioneer e waste management company who introduced the concept to Sri Lanka, we are glad to join with Airtel and expand the services for mobile phones across the country enabling the general public to dispose their end of life equipment in a proper manner. Eventually, we expect that this collaboration will lead to a status where the country’s environment and people’s health will have no adverse effect from discarded mobile phones and accessories.”

As one of the fastest growing waste streams, e-waste is becoming a serious issue in both developed and developing countries. The short life span of mobile phones generates a rapid growth in e-waste generation which needs to be managed meticulously so as to prevent a harmful impact on the environment.

Photo caption: Suren Goonewardene, CEO/MD –Bharti Airtel Lanka (left) and Nalin Gunaratne, MD – Green Links Lanka

About Bharti Airtel Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd: Bharti Airtel Lanka commenced commercial operations of services in Sri Lanka on January 12, 2009, and was the fastest operator to reach 1 million customers in Sri Lanka. With its network footprint panned out across the country and capturing strategic ranking positions in various areas in less than three years of operations, Airtel has emerged as Sri Lanka’s fastest expanding network. Registered under the Board of Investment in Sri Lanka, Airtel Lanka provides digital mobile services into Sri Lanka which includes voice telephony, voice mail, data services and GSM based services. The Company has also received accreditations such as ISO 27001:2005 and ISO 22301 for its continuous efforts towards information security and business continuity. To know more please visit, www.airtel.lk

About Green Links Lanka: Green Links Lanka is a Subsidiary of N.S.Gunaratne Pvt.Ltd which has been operating in the Sri Lankan business context since 1985. Green Links Lanka started its operations as a total e-waste recycling solution provider in 2005 with the consent and the license of the Central Environmental Authority and as per the Basel convention Green Links is permitted to export e waste to several countries for recycling. Being the first and the pioneer e waste management company in Sri Lanka, currently Green Links is providing electronic waste management services for over 200 organizations covering the government and private sectors and banks. Please visit www.greenlink.lk for more details.