Sampath Bank partners Think Green for e-waste management initiative

Saturday, 22 June 2013 03:51 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Sampath Bank Nature Protection Club recently entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Think Green Ltd. for eco-friendly waste management at their head office, Sampath Centre, in Colombo 2. Representing Sampath Bank, Managing Director Aravinda Perera and senior officials, and Sivahar Muthuramalingam, CEO of Think Green signed the MoU. The Sampath Bank Nature Protection Club, in keeping with its philosophy ‘Green Actions for Green Planet’, has disposed over 600 used computers under the first phase of the agreement.

Think Green, a pioneer in providing safe and reliable electronic e-waste management in Sri Lanka, has received the approval from the Central Environment Authority of Sri Lanka and is an exporter, operating under the regulations of the UN-based conventions for trans-boundary movement of hazardous content. Electronic equipment and gadgets are the fastest growing waste streams in many countries, including Sri Lanka. E-waste, or electronic waste, consists of everything from scrapped TVs, refrigerators and air conditioners to that old desktop computer that may be collecting dust in the closet. When disposed in land-filling, hazardous chemicals from the e-waste seep into the ground, leaving contaminated water and soil which remains in soil forever, endangering human life and other living beings. Thus, Sampath Bank Nature protection Club believes it is imperative electronic waste is disposed in a safe manner causing no harm to the environment. Speaking during the signing of the MoU, Managing Director Aravinda Perera said that the bank is committed towards protecting the environment and has taken several key initiatives since 1987. “The new green movement, setting up of the Nature Protection Club is part of the process. Today’s partnership with Think Green is to handle our e-waste, which is another step forward.” Commenting on the new MoU, Nanda Fernando, Acting Chief Operating Officer and President of Sampath Nature Protection Club said: “As a step forward in protecting the environment for the future generation, the bank is taking steps to engage in various projects which are environment-friendly. “The bank declared the 20 May 2013 ‘Green Day’ and the month of June as ‘Green Month’. The staff of the bank is engaged in working individually and collectively towards practicing the concepts of environment conservation which would certainly help to preserve natural resources as well as financial resources of the country.” Sampath Bank always encourages earth-friendly projects that use modern technology, operating on the principles of lean-resource consumption and mainly focused on environmental conservation and protection under the arm of corporate social responsibility.