What happens when the average user’s smartphone becomes redundant?
US consumers and businesses generally keep their mobiles for about 18 months, which compares with a projected lifespan of around 5 years. 150 million phones become surplus to requirements each year and most end up in drawers, an incinerator or a landfill site. Most users do not delete any personal or corporate data on the handset before disposal.
So, private data can fall into the wrong hands and hazardous materials are allowed to contaminate water, soil and air. In 2005, 130 million mobile phones were discarded in the US resulting in the creation of 65,000 tons of toxic waste. The position in the UK is no brighter with only around 10% of the 90 million phones in circulation currently being recycled.
Mobile device management companies such as Tangoe, phone manufacturers, companies and governments are trying to get businesses and individuals to act responsibly by encouraging refurbishment and re-use, or recycling to enable recovery of precious metals and safe disposal of dangerous materials.
Tangoe say consumers can be engaged on responsible mobile phone disposal when they learn that their old mobiles can be given a new life or recycled safely, which in some way benefits someone. This is an important step towards achieving more accountantability for the entire lifecycle of each mobile phone.