How often do you buy a new phone? Every 2 to 3 years? Cell phones are the most used devices in the world today and their demand only grows. They do, however have a short life span and cannot really be recycled all the way. However, a groundbreaking research claims to carry out eco cell phone recycle without using any toxic chemicals or expensive processes.
Before we delve into that, let’s get acquainted with the current status of cell phone waste.
Why do we need eco cell phone recycle
The world generates 50 million metric tons of electronic waste (aka e-waste) every year. Almost 2 billion phones are discarded every year. When a phone reaches a recycling stage, only precious metals like gold, silver, copper and palladium are extracted. Fiberglass and resin, which form the bulk of cell phones, are not recycled because it is not economical to do so.
These materials end up in landfills where they release toxic chemicals into our groundwater, soil and air. Another way to dispose them is in the incinerator, which releases greenhouse gases into the air and hence, is not environmentally responsible. Thus, eco phone recycle is a pressing need in today’s time.
The UBC research
A mining engineering professor, Maria Holuszko at the University of British Columbia set on a path to make eco cell phone recycle a reality. A PhD student, Amit Kumar shared the same vision and helped Prof. Holuszko with the task.
Together, they have discovered a new, affordable way to recycle fiberglass and resin. The main problem with recycling fiberglass and resin is the fact that they cannot be separated. Holuszko and her team have found a way to do it and brought the world a step closer to eco cell phone recycle reality.
So how is the separation possible?
The team intend to use gravity for separation of fiberglass from resin. The differences in their density help with the separation. There have been previous attempts at separating fiberglass from resin but these methods were expensive and not economically viable.
This new method is far better than any other previous methods. The separated materials can then be reused to create new parts for electronics. They are now working on improving the purity of separated materials and perfect the process.
China’s waste import ban
China imposed a ban on waste import, which took effect on Jan 1, 2018. The eco phone recycle technology is therefore more important now than ever if we are serious about disposing or recycling our e-waste responsibly.
Ecoatm
The Ecoatm technology is an amazing breakthrough but it will need some time to become available around the world. This is very similar to the kiosk’s launched by Nokia in Malaysia. In the meantime, if you are looking for an environmental friendly way to dispose your old device, there is a different option available. Ecoatm is the latest way to turn old phones into cash in your pocket. Eco atm locations have been strategically selected across all major cities in USA and have been made available in malls, and popular stores for easy access.
The ethical way of disposing your old devices with an added perk
Ecoatm reviews say that it is a hassle-free and fast way to dispose old phones. All you have to do is carry a state ID and your old device to a nearby kiosk. The condition and configuration of the device will be evaluated and you will be given a competitive quote for the phone. If you are interested, you can send the device for approval. Once your device receives an approval, your device is added to queue and you receive instant cash for your old device.
The No-Fraud aspect
As per Ecoatm reviews apart from being hassle free, the service is very ethical. If they receive a stolen phone, law enforcement is notified. They have a fool-proof system in place to prevent buying a stolen device. Pictures of sellers are collected, thumbprints may be sought where necessary and serial numbers of devices are verified.
They also take steps to prevent the seller’s information on the sold phone from theft, abuse and other issues. It is a super fast, eco-friendly and safe way to sell old phones and makes eco cell phone recycle a reality for today. There are more than 2100 kiosks across the United States.
A promising technique with a bright future
The gravity separation research for fibreglass-resin separation shows a lot of promise. They are now working with a recycling company Ronin8, based in British Columbia to produce a large-scale model using the same principles from the research. If this large-scale model is successful, we will have finally created a zero-waste cell phone.
Conclusion:
The amount of e-waste produced worldwide increases with every passing year. Our e-waste includes waste from all electronic devices besides cell phones. With the rising demand for cell phone, they do however; form a big percentage of all e-waste. Number of phones recycled at eco atm locations alone is over 4 million.
It is not in our hands to stop the technological advancement nor can we go back in time and unpollute the planet. We can, however, take proactive action to minimize damage to the ecosystem or prevent it altogether.
These new technologies enable us to further the idea of eco cell phone recycle and lead us toward a better future. They enable us to take care of our waste without wasting energy or releasing toxic chemicals.