Mobile recycling helps fight to slash carbon footprint of entire industry
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 - 11:30:08
A new report from the Green Alliance, carried out in conjunction with network provider and recycling scheme operator O2, has revealed the extent to which increased awareness of sustainable disposal methods is helping to lessen the environmental impact of the UK’s mobile market.
In addition, analysts found that more people are choosing to make use of SIM-only contracts, holding onto their existing handsets for longer rather than upgrading.
Mobile users in 2016 keep hold of their current phone for 15 per cent longer than they did four years earlier, with people who pick SIM-only deals generating half the carbon dioxide emissions of those who instead have a 24 month contract that results in an upgrade once it has expired.
Experts argue that because upgrade cycles in the mobile market are extending, the negative impact of mobile use on the environment is being reduced. However, they admit that part of the reason for this is simply that smartphone makers have not come up with handsets that are innovative enough to spur sales growth and encourage more regular upgrades.
The report goes on to examine the emergence of a circular market for mobile devices, with people choosing to sell their old phones rather than keep them at home when they upgrade. People are also acting to recycle old phones at five times the rate that they did in the past, showing that payments for unwanted handsets are effectively incentivising such activities.
While the average handset in use in the UK at the moment is 1.8 years old, almost three quarters of people on SIM-only contracts have a device that has been around longer than this period. So it could be argued that a combination of recycling and SIM-only deals will be the way forward for a greener market.
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