Is Your Old Smartphone Hurting the Environment? Here's What You Need to Know
Smartphones are how most of us stay connected, work, and get through the day, but their environmental footprint is something few people stop to think about. This article breaks down the environmental cost of smartphones, what happens to the ones we throw away, and how to dispose of your old phone responsibly.
Are All Smartphones Harmful?
Not all smartphones carry the same environmental risk, but every phone has an impact. Devices contain a dense mix of metals and rare earth elements packed into a small footprint, including lead-based solder, cobalt in the battery, and trace amounts of arsenic and mercury in older models. A single computer or device screen requires roughly 240 kg of fossil fuels, 22 kg of chemicals, and 1.5 tonnes of water to manufacture, more than the weight of a car, just to produce the raw components. When phones are thrown in the trash instead of recycled, those materials end up in landfills where they can leach into soil and groundwater.
How Big is the Environmental Impact of Old Smartphones?
The environmental impact of smartphones comes down to two key phases: production and disposal.
Production: Mining the rare earth metals and cobalt used in phone batteries and circuit boards is resource-intensive and polluting. Extracting just one ton of rare earth elements can generate around 2,000 tons of toxic waste, including radioactive byproducts. In 2022 alone, small IT and telecom equipment, including mobile phones, added roughly 5 million tonnes to the global e-waste stream.
Disposal: Most old phones don't even make it to a recycler. In the U.S., only about 1 in 10 end-of-life mobile phones is recycled. The rest sit in drawers or end up in landfills, where their batteries and circuit boards can leak heavy metals over time.
The Quest for the Greener Smartphone
There's no fully "clean" smartphone on the market yet, but manufacturers are under growing pressure to change that. Look for devices with EPEAT registration, which rates electronics on the use of recycled materials, energy efficiency, and design for disassembly. Longer software support windows and repairable designs also extend a phone's usable life, which does more for the environment than any single recycling program can.
Toxic Materials to Be Aware Of:
Older and even some current smartphones may contain:
Lead
Cobalt
Mercury
Arsenic
Cadmium
Lithium (in the battery)
These materials pose health and environmental risks if a phone is crushed, burned, or left to break down in a landfill instead of being processed by a certified recycler.
Disposing of Your Smartphone Responsibly
The good news is that responsibly retiring an old phone is easier than most people think:
Recycle it: Use a certified e-waste recycler who can safely recover the metals inside and keep them out of landfills. In California, you can also check the CalRecycle website to find an Approved E-Waste Collector near you.
Wipe it first: Before you recycle or donate a phone, make sure your personal data is fully erased. Here's how to erase your data before recycling electronics safely.
Handle the battery with care: Phone batteries are lithium-based and can be a fire risk if damaged. If you're not sure how to handle a swollen or damaged battery, see what to do if a lithium battery explodes.
Donate if it still works: A functioning phone can get a second life with a charity, school, or someone who needs an affordable device.
By recycling responsibly and erasing your data first, you can retire your old phone without adding to the e-waste problem.
Remember: Holding onto a phone longer and choosing repairable, well-supported devices when you upgrade both go a long way toward reducing your personal e-waste footprint. For more ideas, see our guide on how to reduce home e-waste.
Sunada Recycling- Your Trusted Partner for Electronic Waste Collection and Recycling in Los Angeles, CA
At Sunada Recycling, we understand the unique needs of our customers, offering customized solutions to manage their electronic waste, including phones, laptops, and other personal devices. We offer convenient and free e-waste drop-off at our location in Paramount, CA, pick-up for larger amounts across Los Angeles and Orange County, and secure data destruction services for anyone who wants extra peace of mind.
Contact us for e-waste pick-up
Let us help you retire your old devices the right way! Contact us today for a free consultation and learn how we can handle your electronics recycling needs.