E-waste by mobile Phones: A Case Study on the Consumption, Disposal Behavior, and Awareness of Consumers in Kolkata, India

Abstract

Mobile phones, particularly smartphones, have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Technological advancements and the availability of high-speed internet services have culminated in an enormous rise in the number of mobile phone users. Nowadays, as a result of constant advancements in mobile phone technology and other factors, a portion of consumers use more than one mobile phone. On the other hand, the actual lifespan of a mobile phone has reached nearly 4 years. As a result, mobile phone waste as a component of electronic waste has increased significantly over the last decade. From an environmental point of view, various carcinogenic chemical components may be released from mobile phones during the informal recycling process, drastically polluting our environment. According to our survey, while the majority of educated mobile phone users in Kolkata are aware of the adverse effects of electronic waste (e-waste), they typically choose less expensive and easier disposal solutions since they are not concerned about the recycling of mobile phones or e-waste. This study primarily highlighted mobile phone disposal behaviours in Kolkata, India. After reviewing the results of our questionnaire, we noticed numerous actual problems with customers’ disposal patterns for their obsolete mobile phones. In this article, we attempt to depict the current problem of e-waste generated from mobile phones in Kolkata.