Mobile phones are one of the most possessed devices in India, with over 93% of Indian households currently owning one. The country currently has over 750 million smartphone users, with the number moving up steadily each day. Interestingly, in the year 2021, around 19,406 smartphones were bought in the country every hour. Clearly, the demand for these smart devices has peaked, thereby requiring manufacturing to take place at a rapid pace. However, little the end consumer knows that the production process of smartphones damages the environment and the planet in an unimaginable way.
To begin with, smartphones emit an exceptionally high volume of greenhouse gases, compared to any other consumer electronic device. As per a report, a new smartphone generates around 85 kgs of carbon emissions on average in its first year of use, out of which 95% is emitted from its manufacturing process. Further, as almost half of these smartphones are changed by their users within two years of purchase, these phones are often discarded or dumped, without considering putting them to any good use. As a result, these devices usually land in landfill sites, contributing to large amounts of e-waste. As per a report, a new smartphone generates approximately 200 gms of e-waste, which contains plastic parts, glass, and other toxic metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, etc. These harmful substances eventually penetrate the soil and water, thereby contaminating it and harming the overall environment.
The scenario is grim and worrying, and the smart way to handle this is by renewing these phones and giving them a fair chance to survive. Renewed smartphones are the ones that have been previously used by someone, but instead of discarding them, or selling them as is, they are tested and fixed by the brand using original processes and components to give them a brand-new avatar both functionally and cosmetically. Renewed smartphones are usually cheaper than their new counterparts and are a great way to safeguard the environment. By emitting 80% less of CO2 and 89% less of e-waste, a renewed smartphone controls the harm done to the environment in a big way. This is because as each, single renewed smartphone gets purchased, there is one less device that is required to be manufactured and one less device that gets accumulated in the landfill.
Clearly, besides being pocket-friendly, renewed smartphones are highly environment-friendly too. Fortunately, the technology and concept are gradually gaining traction in the Indian market, though it is currently at a fairly nascent stage. By realizing the scope, potential and dire need for change, various progressive companies and trusted resellers have come forward and are introducing new ways and means of refurbishing smartphones. However, the critical need of the hour is to create and spread awareness about the role and importance of these renewed devices, which can give a key thrust to their increased usage.
Marching ahead, as the renewed smartphone market picks up pace in the future, a lesser number of devices would be manufactured, a carbon footprint would be controlled and the amount of e-waste would be significantly reduced. All this would contribute towards a clean, green, and sustainable planet.
(The author is Mr. Yug Bhatia, Founder & CEO of controlZ and the views expressed in this article are his own)
