The economics of cell phone reuse and recycling

Geyer, Roland; Blass, Vered

doi:10.1007/s00170-009-2228-z

Cited by 257 publications

(165 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…This led to a lack of potentially reusable resources embedded in these equipment. From the material‫׳‬s content view, they can be compared to tablets, even if with an even higher percentage (for a given weight) of valuable resources [31,42]. Because of this lack of volumes, recyclers are not interested in treating these products and specific processes are not yet available at industrial level.…”

Section: Cell Phones and Smart Phonesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recycling of WEEEs: An economic assessment of present and future e-waste streams

Cucchiella

D’Adamo

Koh

et al. 2015

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews

663

315

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Waste from Electric and Electronic Equipments (WEEEs) is currently considered to be one of the fastest growing waste streams in the world, with an estimated growth rate going from 3% up to 5% per year. The recycling of Electric or electronic waste (E-waste) products could allow the diminishing use of virgin resources in manufacturing and, consequently, it could contribute in reducing the environmental pollution. Given that EU is trying, since the last two decades, to develop a circular economy based on the exploitation of resources recovered by wastes, a comprehensive framework supporting the decision-making process of multi-WEEE recycling centres will be analysed in thispaper. An economic assessment will define the potential revenues coming from the recovery of fourteen14 e-products (e.g. LCD notebooks, LED notebooks, CRT TVs, LCD TVs, LED TVs, CRT monitors, LCD monitors, LED monitors, cell phones, smart phones, PV panels, HDDs, SSDs and tablets) on the base of current and future disposed volumes in Europe. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis will be used to test the impact of some critical variables (e.g. price of recovered materials, input materials composition, degree of purity obtained by the recycling process, volumes generated, and percentage of collected waste) on specific economic indexes. A discussion of the economic assessment results shows the main challenges in the recycling sector and streamlines some concrete solutions.

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Section: Cell Phones and Smart Phonesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recycling of WEEEs: An economic assessment of present and future e-waste streams

Cucchiella

D’Adamo

Koh

et al. 2015

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews

663

315

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…2 is 3 years, as given in all cited reports. However, lifetimes from other studies are often quoted as being shorter (Paiano et al 2013;Judl et al 2012;Osibanjo and Nnorom 2008;Wright et al 1998;Fishbein 2002;Geyer and Blass 2010;Franke et al 2006;Jang and Kim 2010;Li et al 2012;Yin et al 2014;Marukami et al 2010;Rathore et al 2011). There is a range of lifetimes presented in some of the articles, portions of which are longer than 3 years, but where a range is given, the average is stated as being less than 3 years and sometimes less than 2 years.…”

Section: Lifetime Of Phonesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Redefining scope: the true environmental impact of smartphones?

Suckling

Lee

2015

Int J Life Cycle Assess

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Purpose The aim of this study is to explore the literature surrounding the environmental impact of mobile phones and the implications of moving from the current business model of selling, using and discarding phones to a product service system based upon a cloud service. The exploration of the impacts relating to this shift and subsequent change in scope is explored in relation to the life cycle profile of a typical smartphone. Methods A literature study is conducted into the existing literature in order to define the characteristics of a Btypicalŝ martphone. Focus is given to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in different life cycle phases in line with that reported in the majority of literature. Usage patterns from literature are presented in order to show how a smartphone is increasingly responsible for not only data consumption but also data generation. The subsequent consequences of this for the balance of the life cycle phases are explored with the inclusion of wider elements in the potential expanded mobile infrastructure, such as servers and the network. Results and discussion From the available literature, the manufacturing phase is shown to dominate the life cycle of a Btypical^smartphone for GHG emissions. Smartphone users are shown to be increasingly reliant upon the internet for provision of their communications. Adding a server into the scope of a smartphone is shown to increase the use phase impact from 8.5 to 18.0 kg CO 2 -eq, other phases are less affected. Addition of the network increases the use phase by another 24.7 kg CO 2 -eq. In addition, it is shown that take-back of mobile phones is not effective at present and that prompt return of the phones could result in reduction in impact by best reuse potential and further reduction in toxic emissions through inappropriate disposal. Conclusions The way in which consumers interact with their phones is changing, leading to a system which is far more integrated with the internet. A product service system based upon a cloud service highlights the need for improved energy efficiency to make greatest reduction in GHG emissions in the use phase, and gives a mechanism to exploit residual value of the handsets by timely return of the phones, their components and recovery of materials.

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“…In DC, these wastes mostly end up in landfills after informal recycling consisting of manual dismantling with bare hands and open burning (Panambunan-Ferse and Breiter, 2013;Umair et al, 2013). Due to a very low overall recovery rate in this informal recycling (Bollinger et al, 2012;Herat and Agamuthu, 2012;Umair et al, 2013), the global mobile phone product system (GMPPS) loses a substantial amount of valuable resources that could be recovered (Basel-Convention, 2008;Geyer and Blass, 2010;Tischner, 2012;Wang et al, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying ways of closing the metal flow loop in the global mobile phone product system: A system dynamics modeling approach

Sinha

Laurenti

Singh

et al. 2016

Resources, Conservation and Recycling

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a b s t r a c tIn the past few decades, e-waste has emerged as one of the fastest growing and increasingly complex waste flows world-wide. Within e-waste, the life cycle of the mobile phone product system is particularly important because of: (1) the increasing quantities of mobile phones in this waste flow; and (2) the sustainability challenges associated with the emerging economies of reuse, refurbishment, and export of used mobile phones. This study examined the possibilities of closing the material flow loop in the global mobile phone product system (GMPPS) while addressing the broad sustainability challenges linked to recovery of materials. This was done using an adapted system dynamics modeling approach to investigate the dominant paths and drivers for closing the metal flow loop through the concept of eco-cycle. Two indicators were chosen to define the closed loop system: loop leakage and loop efficiency. Sensitivity analysis of selected parameters was used to identify potential drivers for closing the metal flow loop. The modeling work indicated leverage for management strategies aimed at closing the loop in: (i) collection systems for used phones, (ii) mobile phone use time, and (ii) informal recycling in developing countries. By analyzing the dominant parameters, an eco-cycle scenario that could promote a closed loop system by decreasing pressures on virgin materials was formulated. Improved policy support and product service systems could synchronize growth between upstream producers and end-of-life organizations and help achieve circular production and consumption in the GMPPS.

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The economics of cell phone reuse and recycling

Cited by 257 publications

References 22 publications

Recycling of WEEEs: An economic assessment of present and future e-waste streams

Recycling of WEEEs: An economic assessment of present and future e-waste streams

Redefining scope: the true environmental impact of smartphones?

Identifying ways of closing the metal flow loop in the global mobile phone product system: A system dynamics modeling approach

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