Old or unused mobile phones create a significant percentage of the worlds overall, electronic waste, and the scale of the problem is growing year on year. This year, total worldwide mobile phone ownership is set to surpass 3 billion. That is approximately one handset for every two people on the planet, and with growing demand and development, the market shows no sign of reaching saturation point. The latest industry figures show that each mobile purchased is used for a average of just 18 months, which means that in as little as three years time there will be around 6 billion unused mobiles filling draws and cupboards around the world.
If you could lay these handsets out end-to-end they would easily stretch around the world multiple times, yet the majority eventually find their way into rubbish bins or a hole in the ground, with no thought given to recycling. All this adds up to an overwhelming environmental problem and one that mobile manufacturers and retailers need to take more seriously. If the mobile industry does not begin to take official guidelines and environmental concerns, more seriously regulations and policy can only begin to come down on it.
Simply discarding a mobile phone into the bin instead of recycling it generally leads to it reaching a landfill or being incinerated, which releases many toxic substances that are important to the operation and manufacture of the handset. However, these toxic substances include heavy metals such as nickel, mercury, and Cadmium one of the earth’s most deadly substances and many more! Which just do not degrade. When a handset reaches landfill these substances, can pollute the environment by leaking into water sources and the food chain, all this leads to a huge ongoing health risk alongside other human initiated environmental factors.
Although not a complete solution to the problem, recycling a mobile phone can help to reduce its environmental impact by prolonging its usefulness, as well as put some extra money in your pocket. Many people hoard mobile phones for one reason or another, probably out of some kind of desire to hold on to the handsets value. As I write this, I am going to check to see how much money I can get for a Sony Ericsson K800i, which is in my bedside table. After checking with envirofone I found that I can get £24.20. Envirofone are going to send out a package for me to send it off in, when they receive the handset and check it over a cheque will be sent to me.
Let’s face it it’s not really that morally correct to use making money as your motivation to recycle an old mobile phone, but why keep something that provides you with no tangible benefits. At least selling it can enable you to play your part the recycling process.
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Isnt recycling a mobile only putting off the trouble of getting rid of it in the future, and more about companies making a profit.
Thats an interesting but cynical way of looking at the issue, personally my view is that its better to postpone the introduction of heavy metals which are mentioned in the article from reaching the enviroment for as long as possible.
Selling an old mobile phones to companies like envirophone, who then refurbish them and sell to consumers etc in the third world I suppose is helping them to make money. But its a win win situation, you make money they make money and the enviroment is saved from the heavy metals and other toxic substances found and used in the manufacture og mobiles.
I agree, it's better to re-use than recycle and so if some companies are refurbishing the phone to sell in other markets that is way better for the environment than more phones being produced.
I allways sell my old phones on, some companies give you a good amount for them. Its allways best to shop around though.
Always remember to take the sim card out thouugh and clear the phone memory of your numbers.
Lots of charities collect mobile phones too for recycling and if you're keen to donate to a charity then giving your old mobile phones is an easy way of doing it!
I've read that every household in the UK has a nokia charger in it! Is there anywhere that just accepts the chargers for cash?
Hi, Mogga thanks for your contribution.
As far as I know there isn’t anywhere that accepts chargers for cash, but recycling them through a charity is possible.
Earlier this year Sainsbury’s urged its customers to dig out any unused mobile phone chargers and drop them into stores during August.
Customers where to drop off old mobile chargers in the entrance to their stores. They were hoping to collect over 150,000 old chargers between the 2nd and the 28th August.
The initiative was part of the Sainsbury’s make a difference campaign that focused on environmental issues.
The need to recycle old working chargers is possibly outdated, as Mobilefun.co.uk have introduced charger adapters that will allow you to use your old Nokia Mains Charger with almost any other mobile phone or handheld device.
The way they work is simple, just attach the adapter to the end of your Nokia Charger and connect it to your phone.
http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/blog/2009/07/recycle-your-old-nokia-charger/
Hope this helps
The psychology of people in the UK using this type of service is fascinating. Why do we not trade phones we are not using for cash?
I have in my house right now the following unused phones.
Blackberry Pearl
Blackberry Curve
Nokia N95
Samsung G600
2 x Nokia 5800
Motorola Razor
Motorola V600
So I own eight of the world’s “6 billion unused mobiles”. Some of them are pretty good phones collectively worth hundreds of pounds. In fact, some of them are probably better than the bruised and battered Blackberry sitting beside me at the moment.
After reading your post I tried to work out why I haven’t sent these away for cash. All I could come up with is my wife, children and springer spaniel destroy more phones than I can afford to buy so I need to keep a good back-stock. Feeble, I know.
Are we a lazy nation, or one embarrassed to do something as “common” as trade in used mobiles for cash?
As for the criticisms of the companies making a profit from recycling phones – I couldn’t care less. I don’t care what their motivation is, even if it is just about profit. And those adopting the high eco-moral-ground can take their high-carbon-footprint-iphones and stick them …