Vodafone Ghana in partnership with Recell Ghana Limited has launched a mobile phone re-cycling campaign to reduce improper disposal of electronic waste (e-waste) and promote re-cycling of unused phones.
The re-cycling campaign to collect and dispose e-waste in an environmental-friendly manner, seeks to reduce mineral extraction and energy consumption in the manufacture of new phones.
Nana Yaa Ofori-Koree, Head of Vodafone Ghana Foundation and Sustainability, said obsolete and irreparable handsets, like any e-waste could become a significant environmental issue if not disposed properly in a safe and secure manner.
“Studies reveal that a significant number of Ghanaians have old mobile phones stowed away at home, with many having upwards of three phones. To offer our employees and customers a more sustainable way of living, we have created a campaign to urge Ghanaians to dispose their obsolete and irreparable handsets and batteries in a safe,” Head of Vodafone Ghana Foundation said.
Nana Ofori-Koree said collection bins have been placed at Vodafone’s retail shops across the country to give Ghanaians and their customers a convenient way of getting rid of their old phones and batteries; stressing that everyone who disposes an unused and old phone in any of the bins will receive an encouraging incentive from Vodafone Ghana.
Mr Moses Aidoo, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Recell Ghana Limited, said metals such as lead, gold, cadmium, arsenic and mercury that are used to produce these phones can be re-used to produce new phones and preserve the unused minerals.
Mr Aidoo said the old phones will be shipped out of the country through legal and official means in order to be recycled. “Last year, we shipped over three thousand kilos of mobile phones from the country and are expecting about 15,000 unused phones from the generous citizenry to be recycled.”
CEO of Recell Ghana said the partnership with Ghana’s innovative telecom brand, Vodafone Ghana, will help reduce e-waste while protecting the minerals of the country.
“It is sometimes embarrassing to hear that Agbogbloshie is one of the dirtiest places in the world because of e-waste and this step would go a long way to”, he added.
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Credit: Vodafone Ghana