Mobile recycling awareness begins to grow

INTERNATIONAL – Yesterday’s release of Nokia’s recycling survey results has struck a collective eco nerve across the web. Yes, the results of the survey weren’t by any means pretty, but there’s no hiding from the fact that these are the cold hard facts and that it’s this reality that is sparking awareness, which has got to be a great thing. Especially, considering the results showed that almost half of us don’t even know we can recycle mobile phones, with most of those that do not knowing how.

It’s been encouraging to see so many influential sites out there taking the results seriously, and beginning to raise awareness for the huge eco benefits of recycling your old phone. Green kudos points all round, but this is just the beginning.

Here’s what some of them had to say:

Gizmodo (UK) – “Despite the us Brits growing steadily more environmentally conscious and doing a decent job of sifting through garbage to dig out cans, bottles and other recyclables for the ‘green bins’ every couple of weeks, it doesn’t seem like we’re particularly clued up in terms of mobile phones. It’s a global problem in fact, and a recent survey by Nokia across 13 countries showed that half the participants weren’t even aware that it was possible to recycle a phone and just 3% of people had done so in the past. It’s a pretty shocking statistic”

NokNok.tv – What do you do when you get a brand new shiny handset? According to Nokia’s research, you’re most likely to dump your old one in a draw, forget about it and go off to play with your new toy. Instead, your old model could be easily recycled, which is much better for your gadget fuelled environmental guilt.”

Network World – “A lack of awareness is the biggest challenge, according to Susan Allsopp, Nokia spokeswoman. Some 74% of consumers said they don’t think about recycling their phones, and half aren’t even aware that phones can be recycled.”

Techshout.com – If you did not think about recycling your mobiles then the chances are that you one of the three out of every four that have never thought about it. Or are you unaware that your mobile too can be recycled?! Unfortunately, as much as half of the mobile using population too did not even know that recycling there mobile phone was possible.

Techdigest.tv – Mobile phone junk is an increasing problem as many people strive for the latest handsets, and as phone companies encourage their users to upgrade handset every year. Nokia’s global study of 6,500 people in 13 countries (Finland, Germany, Italy, Russia, Sweden, UK, United Arab Emirates, USA, Nigeria, India, China, Indonesia and Brazil) found that nearly half didn’t know it was possible to recycle their old mobile phone.”

What do you think to the recycling situation, for mobile phones and old technology in general? Post your thoughts in the comments section below.