With the latest IPCC report suggesting that a global water crisis could ultimately lead to climate breakdown, there’s no doubt that sustainability remains an increasingly hot-button topic throughout the world.
While it’s unarguable that large corporate and governmental emissions are largely responsible for increased carbon emissions and climate change, however, there’s an increasing onus on the steps that we can take as individuals to safeguard the future of the planet.
But just how effective is the act of recycling or reselling your smartphone, and how does this contribute to a healthier environment? Let’s find out!
The Numbers and the Issue with Smartphones in the UK
Let’s take a look at the UK, where a staggering 92% of citizens aged 16 and older now own their own smartphone.
To put this into some form of context, the corresponding number in the year 2000 was around 50%, so we’ve seen exponential growth in this respect in an incredibly short period of time.
If we drill down deeper into this data, however, we see that an average population of around 63 million people had a total of 81.6 million mobile subscriptions on these shores (there are a whopping six billion phone subscriptions across the globe).
Not only does this suggest that a large number of people have more than one smartphone at present, but there’s also a growing selection of inactive handsets that sit idle in draws and households nationwide.
In total, there are 90 million such handsets in the UK, and while this may seem like a desperate waste for now, it’s inevitable that a large number of these phones will ultimately end up being dumped into landfill.
This is Where Recycling (or Reselling) May Come In
The issue here is clear; as the improper discarding of handsets can cause huge environmental issues, as components corrode and toxic waste is released into landfill sites.
As this waste continues to leak out into the soil and groundwater over time, we see incremental damage done to the environment and human health.
In the US alone, for example, an estimated 70% of heavy metals in landfills comes from discarded electronics, while the environmental challenges posed by discarded battery units is one of the most significant issues in the current climate.
This is where recycling can come into play, with advanced technologies now meaning that up to 80% of the materials used in smartphone components can be recycled and reused. Similarly, operators are also increasingly inclined to recycle and refurbish old handsets, creating multiple channels through which you can safely discard your phone.
Similarly, there’s a growing second-hand market for smartphones and tablets, whether you want to sell an old handset or trade in your iPhone 12 Mini or similar phone.
The best option will depend on the age and condition of your phone, of course, but the most important thing is that you seek out a responsible way for discarding your handsets over time.
