Telenor introduces mobile phone recycling/buyback for the sake of the environment

According to Telenor’s calculations at least four million used mobile phones are lying around collecting dust in Norwegian homes. Presently 82 per cent of Norwegian households have at least one mobile phone extra that they are not using. It is only a dismal 12 per cent of consumers that recycle mobile phones. Since mobile phones are not being returned for recycling, mobile phone manufacturers are forced to extract new materials, in stead of just using the resources already available in used mobile phones. Telenor wants to do something about this and is introducing a new mobile recycling scheme.

“Telenor wants to help consumers dispose of mobile phones in a safe, secure and environmentally friendly manner. Of the phones collected those damaged will be recycled. Those that can be repaired will be sold in Asia which is a well-functioning market for used goods. Proceeds from the sales will be given to the Red Cross. This gives the mobile phone a “safe death” or a longer life-span in other markets,” says Ragnar Kårhus, head of Telenor in Norway.

For every mobile phone received in the new recycling scheme, the Red Cross receives financial support to plant 25 trees in Asia. If Telenor reaches its goal of collecting 70,000 mobile phones, users of the scheme would in effect contribute to planting an unbelievable 1.8 million trees in 2009. The trees are being planted as a preventive environmental measure to reduce the danger of soil erosion and give a more sustainable environment.

Calculations show that if each of the world’s three billion mobile users returns one mobile phone, an astronomical 270,000 tonne in raw materials will be saved each year, the results being a reduction of emissions equalling the removal of 4 million cars from the roads.

To make returning used phones simple Telenor together with Telekiosken and Telehuset has developed its own return system which is installed in stores throughout Norway. You can also order a postage paid envelope on telenor.no, into which you put the used phone and send it off by post. Mobile phones that can be repaired will be re-used in Asia. This gives the phones a longer life-span. Those damaged will be recycled. By recycling 90 per cent of materials are re-used while the other 10 per cent goes to energy recycling. Materials contained in the phone can be used to build roads, in data chips and to manufacture new mobile phones. To secure personal protection, all data on the phone is deleted at Greener Solutions in UK, where the phones are sorted for re-use and recycling. SIM and memory cards remaining in the phones are destroyed.

[Via: Telenor]