Operators Throughout Region Undertaking a Range of Projects to Treat Electronic Waste
London: The GSMA today released the report eWaste in Latin America , a review of the electronic waste (e-waste) initiatives by mobile operators in Latin America, including Antel (Uruguay), Cable & Wireless (Panama), Claro (Peru), Entel (Chile), Nextel (Mexico), Oi (Brazil), Telcel (Mexico), Telecom Personal (Argentina), Telef nica Movistar (Ecuador and Panama), Telef nica Vivo (Brazil), Tigo (El Salvador) and TIM (Brazil). With insights gleaned from projects undertaken between 2009 and 2013, the report underscores the critical role that mobile operators are playing to improve e-waste management through a range of voluntary projects across the region.
Over the past two decades, the proliferation of technology and widespread adoption of electronic devices, such as PCs, televisions, radios, mobile phones, tablets and routers, has led to an unprecedented amount of electronic waste, which is expected to reach 57.5 kilotonnes globally by 2015, said Sebastian Cabello, Director, GSMA Latin America. The GSMA is proud to see that mobile operators are already working to address this issue in Latin America, a region that will produce nearly nine per cent of the world's e-waste by 2015.
In Latin America, e-waste, also known as waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), will grow 17.5 per cent in the next years, from 4.22 kilotonnes in 2012 to 4.96 kilotonnes in 2015, according to United Nations University (UNU). Given this growing issue, mobile operators in the region are developing programmes, campaigns and projects to treat e-waste, such as mobile phones, batteries and accessories, in compliance with local and international environmental legislation. As part of their environmental, sustainability and corporate social responsibility programmes, GSMA member operators across Latin America have established reverse logistics schemes for collecting, storing, categorising and disposing electronic waste. At the same time, the regional operators are investing in recycling plants and programmes, conducting reforestation efforts and carrying out awareness campaigns, among other activities.
For example, in 2013, Telef nica Movistar Ecuador processed 112,321 obsolete mobile phones from their users. In Brazil, the mobile network operator Oi is investing US $10 million in five recycling plants belonging to Descarte Certo, and in 2012, Descarte Certo collected 43,782 mobile devices, batteries and chargers from Oi customers. Further, Oi, Telef nica, TIM and Vivo collected 90.6 tonnes of WEEE in Brazil during 2012. In Peru, Claro installed 203 collection sites across the country and gathered more than 58,000 items between 2010 and 2013.
The majority of the projects detailed in the report have been delivered through the operators' individual initiatives, largely because countries in Latin America lack legal frameworks related specifically to e-waste, continued Cabello. Only in recent years have some countries started to discuss and apply new laws, such as in Brazil and Ecuador. It will be critical for operators in the region to continue their voluntary efforts around e-waste, but also to work closely with regulators to develop transparent and coordinated models that take into account the responsibility of various industry players. And of course, we must continue to raise public awareness of the risks presented by e-waste and the impact on the global environment.
The full report and infographics are available at http://www.gsma.com/latinamerica/ewaste-latin-america-2014.
-ENDS-
About the GSMA
The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. Spanning more than 220 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world's mobile operators with 250 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and Internet companies, as well as organisations in industry sectors such as financial services, healthcare, media, transport and utilities. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Expo.
For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.
Media Contacts
For the GSMA
Tatiana Cantoni (Brazil)
+55 11 95210-2225
taticantoni@pimenta.com
Charlie Meredith-Hardy (UK)
+44 7917 298428
CMeredith-Hardy@webershandwick.com
GSMA Press Office
pressoffice@gsma.com
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
Operators Throughout Region Undertaking a Range of Projects to Treat Electronic Waste
