Further Resources

Information note Mobile Phone Partnership Initiative

Information note Mobile Phone Partnership Initiative

Information note Mobile Phone Partnership Initiative

The use of mobile phones has grown exponentially from the first few users in the 1970s, to 1.76 billion in 2004, and more than 3 billion in April 20081. Sooner or later, these phones will be discarded, whole or in parts. In developed countries this quite often takes place sooner before they cease to operate. According to some recent studies, the first owner will generally replace their mobile phone within two years because they want newer features or because the older phones are incompatible with new services. In addition mobile phones are rapidly replacing fixed line phones in developing countries and countries with economies in transition. The result of that growth is a waste management problem when such phones reach the ends of their lives.

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Guidance document on the environmentally sound management of used and end-of-life mobile phones

The current publication provides information on how to manage used and end-of-life mobile phones from the time they are collected up to and including their refurbishment, material recovery and recycling. It has been prepared by the Mobile Phone Working Group and was adopted in its entirety by the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention, held in Cartagena, Colombia from 17 to 21 October 2011.

The publication provides general guidance pertaining to the environmentally sound management of used and end-of-life mobile phones that includes such considerations as awareness-raising on design considerations, collection, processing, refurbishment, material recovery and recycling. It also provides guidance on reducing or eliminating releases to the environment from waste disposal and treatment processes. It should be noted that each of these operations should employ best available techniques (BAT) and be in line with best environmental practise (BEP) so that releases of hazardous constituents are prevented or minimized.

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