Second Life for old phones: how buying refurb helps the planet

Telco Belong has partnered with Kingfisher to launch a line of refurbished mobile phones to combat the rising impact of tech e-waste on the environment.

The range of refurbished phones will be available through the Second Life Shop.

• Nearly 40% of Australians believe mobile phones have no more or less environmental impact than other things in their life
• 59% of Australians say they would consider buying a refurbished phone
• Over 90% of Australian teens say they would consider buying a refurbished phone
• Almost 30% of Australians say their key reason for considering a refurbished phone is because they're more environmentally friendly.

According to research from Belong, almost “40 per cent of Australians believe mobile phones have no more or less environmental impact than other things in their life.”

But how much of an environmental impact do smartphones have? 

Looking at a report from Deloitte released in December last year, the estimated 4.5 billion smartphones in use globally will “generate 146 million tons of CO2 or equivalent emissions in 2022,” which equates to less than half a per cent of the 34 gigatonnes of the world’s total emissions in 2021. 

Of that percentage, 83% of smartphone-related emissions come from the manufacturing process, says Deloitte – a figure corroborated by Belong’s research. 

“The reality is that the lifecycle of a single phone can account for tonnes of carbon emissions – around 80 per cent of those occurring during production,” said head of product and marketing at Belong, Aaliah Eggins-Bryson.

“Globally, we throw away around 44.7 million tonnes of tech each year in favour of new devices. The Second Life Shop aims to bring greater awareness to the environmental impacts of our e-waste decisions,” she added.

While half a percentage sounds miniscule compared to the burning of fossil fuels (87 per cent of global emissions), most Australians say that they will keep their current phone for longer once they’ve been made aware of the impact mobile phones have on the planet, according to Belong. 

The telco’s research found:

• 54% of Australians say they will keep their current phones for longer and delay buying a new one
• Over 60% of 16-20 year olds say they will keep their current phones for longer and delay buying a new one
• Over 35% of Australians over 60 are likely to keep their current phone for an additional 2 years than originally intended.

“This tells us that consumers, particularly younger Australians, are open to changing their purchasing behaviour and that the most sustainable phone is often one that already exists,” added Eggins-Bryson. 

Purchasing a refurbished mobile phone has its pros and cons, but for the environmentally-minded consumer one of the biggest positives is knowing that their choice has lessened their impact, however marginally, on the planet. 

Even if it seems like choosing a refurbished phone over a brand new one is only a splash in the ocean, you vote with your dollar – meaning that if enough people continue to make environmentally-responsible choices, manufacturers will have to listen to consumer preferences and meet their demands.

Some telcos already make environmental responsibility a priority. So, you can pair your refurbished phone with an ethical mobile phone plan to help make your consumer voice heard.