What to do with cell phone chargers?
When we buy a new cell phone, the old charger loses its usefulness. And the way is to look for a place to collect it, to dispose of it in an ecological way
A survey commissioned by a mobile communications company in 2008 showed that only three out of every 100 cell phones manufactured in the world are sent for recycling. In Brazil, where the sale of mobile phones is growing (according to data from the National Telecommunications Agency, there are 1.3 cell phones available for every resident in the country), there are only two in every hundred (see here how to discard old cell phones) .
The same problem occurs with the other components of a cell phone, such as the battery (see here how to properly dispose of it) and the charger - an estimated 51,000 tons of chargers are thrown away every year, all over the world.
The propensity to acquire a new cell phone is enormous, whether due to the launch of the new model, which is generally more attractive and modern, or because of problems with the cell phone we already have. In these cases, everything is new, the device and even the charger. With this in mind, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) - the UN agency responsible for regulating the telecommunications sector around the world - approved, in 2009, the adoption of a universal standard for cell phone chargers. The principle of adopting universal chargers is to reduce the waste of material resources, reducing about 13.6 million tons of pollutants produced in their manufacture.
An ITU report shows that creating a standard for external power chargers would eliminate 300,000 tonnes of electronic waste per year. If the chargers followed the same model, the weight of the device would be 30% less, and the useful life would be extended. The chargers' energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced by between 25% and 50%.
Some countries are already moving towards the adoption of this type of charger. In the European Union, an interim agreement was established that proposes that cell phone manufacturers manufacture a charger that adapts to any device. This agreement, however, still needs to be approved by the European Parliament and by the member countries of the organization. In Brazil, a bill with the same objective is in progress.
All this, taking into account that, like most electronics, chargers contain materials that are harmful to the environment and human health (see more here).
Dispose of in specific locations or return to operators!
The use of many chargers is tied to a particular cell phone model. So when we buy that state-of-the-art device, the old charger loses its usefulness.
Disposal of cell phone chargers can be done at cell phone recycling collection points, usually present at cell phone sales offices, such as mobile phone carrier stores. If that doesn't work, try contacting the device manufacturer to send the waste.
