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Monday, 23 January 2012 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
A Sri Lankan company has stepped forward to ensure the safe and environment-friendly disposal of electronic waste. Kalhari Group which has diverse business interests and is already involved in the export of recycled or recyclable waste materials recently signed an agreement with Epsi Computers (Pvt) Ltd., to become the company’s total solution provider for the collection and disposal of E-waste as well as other solid waste.
“This is a significant milestone for us as well as for Sri Lanka,” said Kalhari Group CEO Kaushal Rajapaksa, adding, “We have received the Basel Convention export license from the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) for the export of electronic waste.”
Kalhari Group has joined with Hong Kong’s Li tong Group for the recycling of E- waste. The CEA has approved the export of 360 tonnes of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment to Hong Kong. The approval valid till 1 November, 2012, is subject to compliance with the requirements specified by the Environmental Protection Department in Hong Kong.
“Electronic waste is a new area for us. We expect to provide Sri Lankans the facility to easily dispose of their electronic waste including computers and mobile phones,” Rajapaksa explained. “Our aim is to expand the collection of E-waste to the entire country. We have already lined up some major players in the industrial sector who are E-waste generating companies as potential partners,” he added.
At present Kalhari Group exports around 200 tonnes of waste material per month.
Epsi Computers (Pvt.) Ltd., which has been in business for two decades, has made rapid progress within Sri Lanka’s IT industry bringing a vast array of highly advanced Information Technology equipment to the market. The company which has an annual turnover of over Rs. 1.5 billion has received a string of awards during its two-decade history.
The Kalhari Group which began operations as a company recycling PET bottles has diversified and grown to five companies. Today it is one of the leading companies recycling and exporting PET bottles and plastic waste to countries such as China and India.
In 2009, Kalhari stepped in at the request of the Western Province Waste Management Authority to prevent a major health hazard at the Menik Farm Camp for internally displaced persons by clearing nearly one hundred thousand PET bottles as a Corporate Social Responsibility Project (CSR).
The agreement was signed by Rajapaksa and Head Of Customer Support of EPSI Computers (Pvt) Ltd Sanjaya Rubaroe. Present on the occasion were Ministry of Industrial Development Director Epa Dayaratna, Environment Pollution Control Director K.H. Muthukudaarachchi, Western Province Waste Management Authority Director R.P. Samarakkodi and Head of Finance of EPSI Sanjeewa Weeraratna.
“The tie-up with Epsi Computers is important for us because they are a leader in the IT industry and we look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship with this agreement,” Rajapaksa concluded.
