The GSM Association says it has inaugurated circularity services to help mobile operators reduce electronic waste, extend device lifecycles and unlock value from existing assets.

In a statement on Wednesday, the GSMA said the new offering brought together partnership services from Closing the Loop and RGX to support operators.

Commenting, Sianne Ryder of GSMA said the initiative would help operators take practical action on circularity while delivering operational and commercial benefits.

“By bringing together solutions that support both responsible recycling and asset recovery, we are making it easier for organisations to reduce waste while unlocking greater value from existing assets,” she said.

The circularity services mean approaches that keep devices and other technology assets in use for longer through recovery, reuse, refurbishment and responsible recycling.

Ms Ryder said the services would provide mobile operators with proven solutions to accelerate their circularity ambitions and respond to growing demand for sustainable device lifecycle management.

The CEO of Closing the Loop, Joost de Kluijver, said the partnership would expand the value of its one-for-one service across the mobile industry.

Mr De Kluijver said the service linked the sale of one new mobile device to the collection and responsible recycling of one end-of-life phone. He said the approach would help mobile operators reduce waste while supporting their broader circularity ambitions and creating additional value for customers and brands.

According to Mr De Kluijver, Vodafone, Samsung and T-Mobile have successfully used the programme for devices sold in Europe, while Google was a global user.

He said the programme had contributed to electronic waste reduction in countries where formal waste collection and recycling infrastructure were often limited.

The co-founder of RGX, Sean Miles, said the partnership with GSMA Industry Services would enable more organisations in the mobile ecosystem to put circularity into practice.

Mr Miles said RGX helped organisations manage electronic waste and enterprise asset disposition more efficiently through a trusted and transparent online marketplace.

He said the platform enabled mobile operators to recover value from redundant equipment, support responsible recycling and turn circularity ambitions into practical action.

GSMA is a global organisation representing the interests of mobile operators and companies across the broader mobile ecosystem.

(NAN)