Spring cleaning
is good for our homes and the environment.
The beginning of September marks the start of spring cleaning season with 78% of Australians intending to declutter their homes this year. The research shows that 9 in 10 Australians agree that getting rid of old or unused items would make them feel happier and freer in life. Now is the time for Australians to act and do something positive with their unused household items.
We have some great ideas on how to reduce the impact of your mobile phones and improve your environmental footprint. If you have an old mobile phone at home going to waste think about reusing or recycling it. Encouraging more Australians to responsibly reuse and recycle their mobile phone will result in greater environmental benefits and positive climate change impacts.
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Reduce
Increasing the mobile phone’s life cycle is sustainable and better for the planet. Software upgrades and repair make it easier to keep your phone for longer.
Research shows that we are holding onto our mobile phones for longer than ever before. Australians are slower to upgrade their devices, which means mobile phones are being used for longer by the same owner. The average mobile phone replacement cycle has reached 30 months in Australia.
Reuse
Reuse extends the use phase of products, thereby reducing environmental impacts.
Mobile phones have a greater chance of being reused if they are sold or given away shortly after consumers have upgraded rather than being kept as a backup or stored at home. It is in this period that devices have the greatest reuse value.
Recycle
Recycling is the final stage of the mobile phone life cycle and includes the dismantling and processing of components so the materials can be recovered to be used again. Recycling a mobile phone has benefits across several environmental indicators including global warming, resource depletion, fossil fuels and pollution.
If mobile phones aren’t recycled properly, they can have negative environmental impacts, especially if they end up in landfill.
How to get involved
Recycle
We have over 3,500 public drop off points across Australia. Recycle at your local Optus, Telstra, Vodafone, Samsung, Officeworks, Salvos or Battery World store. Search for your nearest drop off point.
Post back
This year we have seen more people recycling from home. We can send you a free MobileMuster recycling satchel or you can download a mailing label to make it easy.
Useful tips
Here are our top five tips for reducing the impact of your old mobile phones and accessories on the environment. You can download the graphics below and share them on social media.
- We recycle more than the mobile phone. Don’t forget the old chargers, accessories, cases and smart watches.
- If you are going to sell an old phone don’t hesitate. The longer you keep it the more it will depreciate in value.
- When choosing a repair service, it is important to check that the technicians are trained and provide a repair warranty.
- Learn what happens to your mobile phone when it is recycled and the environmental benefits it delivers.
- When removing data on your mobile phone take a look at our instructional videos for Android and iOS.
Research report
Insights into our mobile phone use, reuse and recycling
Take a look at our research report as we examine how Australians use, reuse and recycle their mobile phones, as well as the impact this has on the environment.
