What is the impact of a MOBILE PHONE?

In Europe, people are constantly upgrading their handsets within two year timeframes. However, the average life expectancy of a mobile phone is over eight years. Its important that the global mobile phone industry works towards a more sustainable future. Reuse is always the best option — extending the life of a phone that is only a year or two old is better than binning it.

  • It is estimated that 30 million mobile phones are sold each year in the UK and over ten billion mobile phones are currently in use worldwide.

A mobile phone is made from a wide range of components and materials. These range from precious metals, such as gold and silver, to highly toxic substances such as cadmium and mercury — all precious natural resources.

If mobiles are thrown in the bin, they end up in landfill. Here they can leak and pollute the environment. One mobile phone battery could potentially be enough to pollute 600,000 litres of water.

Where the repair and reuse of old mobiles isn’t possible, the materials and other valuable components can be reprocessed. Responsibly reprocessing mobile phones helps protect the environment from harmful toxins found in handsets and accessories.

Here at Eazyfone, we’re making it all happen.

How does Eazyfone help the ENVIRONMENT?

We follow the principles of the four Rs in our business — Recover, Recondition, Reuse and Recycle.

Our priority is to recover the unused or damaged handsets from consumers and to recondition and reuse them wherever possible. Whilst extending the life of the units, the reuse of the technology also offsets the mining and production of the materials necessary to produce additional handsets.

If a handset has reached the end of its usable lifecycle, and cannot be repaired or reconditioned, it will be sent to our recycling partners for further evaluation.

  • In 2010, we reused 95% of the handsets we received, helping make the mobile phone industry more sustainable for everyone.

Many of our handsets are sent to developing countries where there is a huge demand for low-cost mobile phones.

Mobile technology is helping to advance economies and improve communication infrastructure across areas of the world with very poor communication networks.

Our customers can also choose to donate money made from their handset transaction to charity.

Working with CO2 Balance & OTHER PARTNERS

As a business, we are involved in a number of environmental schemes to help consumers offset carbon emissions and do their bit for the environment.

One example is our work alongside CO2 Balance, where we are heavily involved with the African Energy Efficient Stove Project specifically in Kenya.

We are working with local social groups in the country to help provide energy efficient cooking stoves to replace the use of open fires.

Families with a stove can cut their firewood usage by 50% per year and the technology has other benefits, such as:

  • Preventing the release of three tonnes of CO2 annually
  • Reducing deforestation due less demand for firewood
  • Protecting important habitats and ecosystems
  • Reducing the flood risk as the trees help soak up ground water