Phone recycling - what does it look like?
Ecology
18 January 2023
The average life cycle of modern smartphones is 2 years. This is short, considering that the list of materials needed to manufacture them is long: different types of plastics, glass and precious metals and rare earth elements. Since the production of every electronic device contributes to the greenhouse effect - this equipment should be replaced as infrequently as possible. What to do with an old model when you have bought a new one? Use a mobile phone recycling service!
Phone recycling - what can you get out of them?
It might seem that when it comes to mobile phone recycling, gold will be the most desirable element. In a way, this is true, as it is quite an expensive precious metal, but it is not the only element worthy of attention. Smartphones contain, among other things, the following:
- copper;
- Cobalt;
- iron;
- tin;
- tantalum;
- silver;
- platinum.
It is estimated that around 40/50 phones will be needed to extract 1 gram of gold, which is worth around 300/400 gold. This is a small amount. This is because the element is added to smartphones for functional rather than aesthetic reasons. This also means that, although initially tempting - extracting the gold from the phone itself is not at all cost-effective.
What should I keep in mind when recycling my phone?
Users of old phones should get rid of all data from them. Nowadays, smartphones are very integrated into our private lives - there are photos, recordings, confidential conversations and even work-related documents on them. In addition, the phone, thanks to NFC, can be used like a payment card. It is better that the phone being handed over is not connected to a card that is still active. Fortunately, most smartphone models have a built-in reset function that can be found in the "settings" tab. It is also a good idea to remove any outer casing and scratch off any stickers - if used.
Participating in the recycling of old phones does a lot of good not only for the environment, but also for society. Devices that are not properly disposed of and recyclable materials extracted from them may end up in landfill sites in Third World countries. Why there? These countries are chosen because they lack the appropriate standards and regulations to standardise the procedures for storing these types of electronics. This means that when an entity is found there that wants to carry out its own recovery, it often recruits underage workers who are forced to work under threat of physical punishment.
As the purpose of juvenile workers is to extract valuable raw materials, they are particularly exposed to contact with sharp objects and inhalation of substances hazardous to health. Lithium-ion batteries, when punctured or swollen, explode and emit irritating fumes. By handing in an old mobile phone for disposal to a suitable facility, customers can be assured that the recovery of recyclable materials from the equipment will be done in accordance with international standards and will not cause suffering to others.
Where can I return my old phone?
Where to dispose of an old phone that's languishing in a drawer? There are at least four possibilities:
- Take advantage of the EKO Returns service - to do so, all you need to do is fill in the form found on the InPost website or in the InPost Mobile app and leave your old (but working) electronic device in the Paczkomat® machine. You can find more necessary information here: https://inpost.pl/ekozwroty .
- Donate to an electronics/appliance shop - since 2016, all shops with a floor space of 400 square metres (or more) have been obliged to accept waste electronic equipment free of charge, provided its dimensions do not exceed 25 centimetres anywhere. This means that it is usually not even a problem to hand over devices that are larger, such as tablets.
- Sell - you can easily find sites on the internet that allow you to sell used products. This is one of the best methods because it is based on the principle of reuse.
Old equipment should not be treated like normal rubbish and disposed of in the rubbish bin. There they pose a danger to both the environment and the employees of the city cleaning plant.
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