Norwegian mobile recycling initiative
Wednesday, March 7, 2012 - 12:02:46
In Norway there are an estimated eight million old mobile phones sitting unused in the homes of consumers across the country, according to Reuters.
This fact has been used to kick start a mobile phone recycling programme, which is being supported by volunteer groups formed at over 700 sports clubs.
Eighty per cent of the Norwegian population is thought to have at least one old mobile phone gathering dust in a drawer at home, according to a report published by Norstat.
Annual mobile sales in the country top two million, but spokesperson, Berit Svendsen, said that just a small proportion of the outgoing handsets are actually sent off to be recycled. The rest are either kept needlessly by the user or sent to landfill, where their precious components go to waste.
An incredible 20 per cent of Norwegians admit to having more than four old mobiles hanging around the house, which means there are stockpiles of unused electronics which might otherwise be eligible for recycling.
The good news is that 90 per cent of Norwegians want to help the environment by recycling their old mobile phones, although it seems that a greater focus on educating consumers about the available services is necessary.
By calling on hundreds of sports clubs to help promote mobile recycling, it should be easier to get in contact with millions of Norwegians and increase the percentage of old handsets which are recycled.
Last year telecoms firm, Telenor, received donations of 180,000 old mobile phones and it hopes to increase this figure by 50,000 in 2012.
The sports clubs are given an incentive to take part in the scheme because they get about £3.20 for every mobile phone which they collect and recycle, so it is a good fundraising initiative for all involved.v
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