Ten million smart/mobile phones thrown away per month . .

[Patrickpioneer]

Just heard a bit on the wireless that in the EU ten million smart phones are thrown away every month, besides the fact they are difficult to recycle what a terrible waste and I bet that most of it is fashion driven.
Why do we have and waste so much, I think its a very sad reflection on our society.
Pat

[mercalia]

Just heard a bit on the wireless that in the EU ten million smart phones are thrown away every month, besides the fact they are difficult to recycle what a terrible waste and I bet that most of it is fashion driven.
Why do we have and waste so much, I think its a very sad reflection on our society.
Pat

well understandable old phones not worth much. I got my Windows phones - a Lumia 635 ( widnows 8.1) and a 640 ( windows 10) for less than £20 each from Ebay incl postage. Both in very good condition and hopefully will last. Did the radio give any idea what phones were being discarded? The trouble with most modern phones is they are glued together so not easy to install a new battery - I have seen videos of people doing it using a hair dryer to melt the glue ( not easy ) to get to the battery.

[kwackers]

I think there was or is some sort of move in EU land to make the easy recycling of 'stuff' mandatory.
Of course if you're of the DM mindset you'll see this as an annoying intrusion that'll end up costing you money.

The problem with reports like this though is it sounds a lot, ten million mobile phones!!!
But in comparison to everything else we throw away it's a trivial amount.

The problem is huge, mobile phones are barely even the tip of the iceberg.

[al_yrpal]

There is a story in todays Times about mobiles becoming unaffordable in future because of a shortage of indium. A shortage of helium will also adversly affect the availability of MRI scanners.

Al

[mercalia]

There is a story in todays Times about mobiles becoming unaffordable in future because of a shortage of indium. A shortage of helium will also adversly affect the availability of MRI scanners.

Al

good. what will all the phone zombies then do, god help them

[merseymouth]

Hi Mercalia, Hang on lad, I need the MRI scanners these days!
Some things in modern life should be banned forthwith - them bloody Laughing Gas capsules! Sod the cake decorating addicts, the abuse of the substance should be enough grounds to pull the plug on it. Remember when there was a problem of doctors hooked on the stuff? Brain Rotting.
But I agree fully about the needless addiction to Fashion Phones, yuk. TTFN MM

[iandriver]

Mobile providers love contracts rather than SIM only plans. More in it for them, claim the phone is free, then offer a new phone at the end of 24 months on a new contract. The system is fundamentally geared up to throw them away. All about money at the end of the day, same old same old in the consumer economy.

[Mick F]

The two mobile phones - Galaxy and iPhone5 - that I've washed in the washing machine over the last year or so, have been given to the local school for the young 3/4yo children to play with. By all accounts, they love them, pretending to make calls and play games on them. I took the batteries out and sent them to be recycled.

Re-use of anything (even if it is by a young child to play with) is always better than disposal. Yes, they'll eventually get disposed of, but they would have had a new life first.

[al_yrpal]

There is a story in todays Times about mobiles becoming unaffordable in future because of a shortage of indium. A shortage of helium will also adversly affect the availability of MRI scanners.

Al

good. what will all the phone zombies then do, god help them

....and the phone manufacturers too. Apple will implode.

Thinking back to when mobiles first appeared rental was the only way. The small one man band businesses that flogged them got a nice slice of the eye watering call charges and lots of repeat business with the ever increasing upgrades. This business model seems to have endured in spite of user common sense driven partially by the photographic function. Its possible to buy a decent phone for less than £100 if you dont care about quality of photographs and under £200 if you do.

The marketing men are spinning it all out, if people only thought about what they are doing....?

Al

[mercalia]

There is a story in todays Times about mobiles becoming unaffordable in future because of a shortage of indium. A shortage of helium will also adversly affect the availability of MRI scanners.

Al

good. what will all the phone zombies then do, god help them

....and the phone manufacturers too. Apple will implode.

Thinking back to when mobiles first appeared rental was the only way. The small one man band businesses that flogged them got a nice slice of the eye watering call charges and lots of repeat business with the ever increasing upgrades. This business model seems to have endured in spite of user common sense driven partially by the photographic function. Its possible to buy a decent phone for less than £100 if you dont care about quality of photographs and under £200 if you do.

The marketing men are spinning it all out, if people only thought about what they are doing....?

Al

even less 2nd hand like my Windows phones,perfectly adequate

[al_yrpal]

Windows Phones? I thought they were unuseable, always downloading updates... (joke....)

Al

[hondated]

Sadly mine will be one of them tomorrow as its stopped working and my new contract starts tomorrow. Wonder if theres any correlation in that !
How it ever became a " must have" item in my life I will never know.