Metropolitan Group and CEA hold e-waste collection day

For the first time in Sri Lanka, an electronic waste collection day was held by the Metropolitan Group, in collaboration with the Central Environment Authority recently, supporting the national effort towards cleaning Sri Lanka of electronic waste in a responsible manner.

Large crowds arrived on Thursday 7 April at the electronic waste collection center at Shalika grounds to hand over items varying from cartridges and toners to computers, televisions, DVD players, CDs, cameras, power packs, typewriters, printers, scanners, copiers, and many more workplace and household electronic waste piling up in offices and homes.

The event was attended by the Minister for Environment, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, President of Canon Singapore Pte Ltd, Satoshi Kimura, Metropolitan Group Chairman J.J. Ambani and CEA Chairman Dr. Charitha Herath.

Speaking at the event, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said that this was an admirable initiative by Metropolitan together with the CEA. He said that the country needed an efficient electronic waste management effort to eradicate this long term problem. He also informed that the government has decided to name the 7 April as the national electronic waste collection day.

Metropolitan Group is an authorised e-waste management partner with the CEA, leading the workplace equipment category. Metropolitan has also partnered with Green Lanka Ltd, the only United Nations BASEL convention approved recycling company in Sri Lanka for recycling of these products.

 “I am very happy to be present at this historic Sri Lanka’s first e-waste collection day initiated by Metropolitan with the support of the Government of Sri Lanka. At Canon, we believe in a greener tomorrow and have also introduced a green policy that ensures that all toners/ cartridges are appropriately recycled and products are developed with least damage to the environment,” said Satoshi Kimura, President - Canon Singapore Pte Ltd.

More than four tonnes of electronic waste belonging to workplace and household categories were collected at this collection day where the public and corporates handed over items such as printers, computers, telephones, toner and cartridges, CD’s, Copiers and all electronic items for recycling.