Operator BT Group reiterated its green objectives by highlighting partnerships with telecoms-focused recycling providers, with an eye to sustainably disposing of and reusing legacy networks and reducing power consumption across its infrastructure.

BT launched a manifesto pledge in December 2021 to build towards “a circular BT Group by the end of March 2030 and a circular tech and telco ecosystem by the end of March 2040”.

In a blog today (9 June), the operator said its partners N2S and TXO will assist it in reselling hardware from legacy infrastructure including 3G and public switched telephone networks.

BT claimed this will help it deactivate inefficient networks and downsize buildings involved in their operation.

It is also exploring other ways to reaffirm its sustainability pledge, including bioleaching, a process to extract precious metals from technology equipment for re-use.

The initiatives are part of an e-waste recycling programme which will see “over 200-tonnes” of copper cable extracted, and more than 2,000-tonnes of batteries recycled by end-2023.

It stated those moves will “generate £4 million” in conjuction with “recycling and resale of redundant network equipment”.

BT stated “recycling the common metals that are found in e-waste, including iron, copper, tin and aluminium, is a huge environmental and economic opportunity”, adding the recovery of these elements into the global supply chain is “vital for the green transition”.

The operator also today reaffirmed its objective to hit net zero for its business operations (Scope 1 and 2) by March 2031 and March 2041 for the emissions produced across its entire value chain (Scope 3).