Qtel Expands E-Waste Recycling Scheme

(Left to Right): Eric Morhenn, Director, Strategic Partnerships, Adel Al-Mutawa, Executive Director, Group Communications, and Waleed Al Asfar, Assistant Manager, Content Management, during the draw Qatar Telecom has announced plans to expand its E-Waste Recycling Programme across Qatar, with a series of major enhancements that will take place over the coming months. To encourage people to recycle E-waste responsibly, Qatar Telecom (Qtel) is hosting a monthly raffle draw to reward E-waste donors and to keep the idea of recycling fresh in people’s minds. The first E-Waste Recycling Draw was held at Qtel Tower this week, and will be repeated every month following the collection of e-waste from various collection points throughout Qatar. This draw is open to the public as well as Qtel employees. Officiating at the first Qtel E-Waste Draw, Adel Al Mutawa, Executive Director, Group Communications, drew the winning name from a pool of around 300 of the first people to recycle a used mobile phone. All Qtel Shops, as well as sites and offices of a number of partners in the programme, such as QVDC, are hosting corrugated drop boxes that are easily accessible to customers who wish to recycle E-waste. Disposing of a mobile phone is simple – all customers have to do is inform a Shop Customer Service Representative that they’d like to recycle their phone. Qtel staff provide a recycling envelope for the phone. The customer removes the SIM card and fills out their name and phone number on the envelope, tearing off and keeping a stub before placing the envelope in the drop box. Donor names are entered into the monthly raffle drawing, which offers prizes including iPads, BlackBerry and other Smartphones and Qtel services. On Saturday, 21 August, Qtel is hosting a “The Big Drop” at Landmark Mall so people can dispose of larger e-waste items for recycling. Large items such as TVs, refrigerators and other kitchen appliances, computers, printers, in effect “anything with a cord,” will be accepted for recycling. Drop-Off hours are in two shifts to accommodate for Ramadan practices, from 3:30 – 6:30 p.m., and then from 8:30 – 10:30 p.m. Electronic waste (E-waste) is refuse created by discarded electronic devices and components produced by households, businesses and governments. E-waste is the fastest growing part of the overall waste stream, and mobile devices are a growing component of this stream. Chemical substances in e-waste can cause harm to the environment, food and human health. To manage this serious environmental issue, Qtel has committed to a range of initiatives designed to reduce the impact of e-waste.