Barcelona, 26 February 2017 – Smartphone production and disposal over the last 10 years is proving to have a significant impact on our planet, according to a Greenpeace USA report released today. The report shows roughly 968 TWh was used to manufacture smartphones since 2007 – nearly the equivalent of one year\u2019s power supply for India – and the devices contribute significantly to the 50 million metric tonnes of e-waste expected to be generated in 2017.<\/p>\n
The report is released as Greenpeace Spain activists attempted to unfurl a banner from the building where Samsung was holding a press conference at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona with the message \u201cReuse, Recycle, Rethink\u201d. The activists are demanding Samsung reuse and recycle the 4.3 million Galaxy Note 7s\u00a0 recalled in 2016 following reports the devices were exploding or catching fire.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat has happened with Samsung\u2019s recall of the Galaxy Note 7 is indicative of a wasteful and unsustainable system. Rushed design and production cycles can lead to wasteful mistakes, not to mention the impact on our planet,\u201d said Jude Lee, Global Senior Campaigner at Greenpeace East Asia.<\/p>\n
\u201cSamsung still hasn\u2019t shared a clear plan to deal with the 4.3 million phones that it recalled. If Samsung is serious about making sure this never happens again, it must lead the IT sector and move towards a system that allows phones to be more easily repaired, reused and recycled.\u201d<\/p>\n
Greenpeace USA\u2019s report, From Smart to Senseless: The Global Impact of Ten Years of Smartphones, provides an overview on the increasing use of smartphones across the world since the release of the first iPhone in 2007, and how this has impacted our planet [1]. Some of the key findings:<\/p>\n
\u201cIf all the smartphones produced in the last decade were still functional, there would be roughly enough for every person on the planet. Consumers are pushed to upgrade their models so frequently that the average device is used for just over 2 years. The impacts on the planet are devastating,\u201d said Elizabeth Jardim, Senior Corporate Campaigner at Greenpeace USA.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you consider all of the materials and energy required to make these devices, their short lifespans, and the low rate of recycling, it\u2019s clear we can\u2019t continue this way. We need devices that last longer and ultimately, we need companies to embrace a new, circular production model.\u201d<\/p>\n
Greenpeace is calling on the whole IT sector to embrace a circular production model in order to address the root cause of many of these environmental challenges. Samsung should lead by example and publicly commit to recycle the Galaxy Note 7s while minimising their impact on people and the environment. It must also be transparent about how it intends to deal with these phones.<\/p>\n
ENDS<\/p>\n
Note to editors:<\/strong><\/p>\n [1] Greenpeace USA\u2019s report From Smart to Senseless: The Global Impact of Ten Years of Smartphones can be found here<\/a><\/p>\n [2] United Nations University study\u00a0here<\/a><\/p>\n [3] Source<\/a><\/p>\n [4]\u00a0Ericsson Mobility Report<\/a><\/p>\n Photo and video:<\/strong><\/p>\n