Millions of old gadgets 'stockpiled in drawers'

[davieG]

By Victoria Gill
Science correspondent, BBC News


Louise and her family's hoard of old technology is typical of a UK household
"Ten phones, two laptops, digital cameras... all just sitting here. We're not dealing with it." Louise Lewis is surveying a collection of old gadgets that have piled up in her home.

Her technological stash, experts say, is typical. But it could jeopardise our ability to manufacture new devices.

A study has estimated that as many as 40 million unused gadgets are languishing in UK homes.

Each device contains multiple valuable and increasingly endangered elements.

Smartphones contain around 30 different elements, some of which the Earth is running out of
The growing, unseen shortage of so-called "rare earth elements" was the impetus for the Royal Society of Chemistry's survey of just how much unused technology we are all stockpiling.

The organisation carried out an online survey - completed by more than 2,000 people - which revealed that half of UK households had at least one unused electronic device and 45% of homes had up to five. Most people admitted they had no plans to recycle their collection.

What elements could we run out of?
"There are about 30 different elements just in a smartphone," said Dr Elisabeth Ratcliffe from the Royal Society of Chemistry, "and many of them are very rare."

The metal indium, she explained, is used in a unique compound called indium tin oxide, which is vital for touch screens, because it conducts electricity and is transparent. "It's also used in solar panels, so we're going to need a lot of it in the future.

"There's not a lot of it in the Earth and you need a kilo of ore to extract just a few milligrams of indium."

Most of us will not have heard of tantalum, but it's a highly corrosion-resistant metal that is "perfect for small electronic devices like our phones", explained Dr Ratcliffe. "But it's also perfect for hearing aids and pace-makers," she told BBC News.

Scientists estimate that indium and tantalum mines, among others, could run out within a century. Meanwhile, our demand for new technology continues to increase.

"Even the copper in all that wire is not endlessly abundant," added Dr Ratcliffe. "On top of that, most of these devices are coated in plastic, which could be recycled."

Elements in smart phones that could run out within the next 100 years

2019 is the international year of the periodic table
Gallium: Used in medical thermometers, LEDs, solar panels, telescopes and has possible anti-cancer properties;
Arsenic: Used in fireworks, as a wood preserver and added to poultry feed to prevent disease;
Silver: Used in mirrors, reactive lenses that darken in sunlight, antibacterial clothing and gloves for use with touch-screens;
Indium: Used in transistors, microchips, fire-sprinkler systems, as a coating for ball-bearings in Formula One cars and solar panels;
Yttrium: Used in white LED lights, camera lenses and can be used to treat some cancers;
Tantalum: Used in surgical implants, electrodes for neon lights, turbine blades, rocket nozzles and nose caps for supersonic aircraft, hearing aids and pacemakers.

 

So what should I do with my old tech?

 

In short - recycle it; you can search for your nearest electronics recycling point online.

 

"Take it to your local tip," advised Stuart Price from Electrical Waste Recycling in Huddersfield. "Or a retailer - distributors actually have an obligation to take back material when you buy a new product from them."

"We need this material to go to reprocessing facilities, so it can be processed properly."

At electrical waste reprocessing plants, devices - even wires- can be broken down into their component parts for recycling
Many people who hoard old tech are concerned about protecting their personal data, but a "factory reset" should protect that - and council tips and responsible retailers keep electronics secure before they recycled.

According to the Electrical Waste Recycling Group, about 500,000 tonnes of electronic waste is recycled in the UK every year. But that is only a fraction of the "E-waste" that is piling up in landfill and in people's homes.

Much of the responsibility for that will lie with tech manufacturers, according to Prof Lenny Koh, director of the Centre for Energy, Environment and Sustainability at the University of Sheffield.

"The current approach is not sustainable," she told BBC News. "With increasing demand and reliance on smaller devices and more sophisticated technology, there'll only be more waste to be recycled.

"Manufacturers need to think about the entire life-cycle of a device at the design stage - so devices are built to be fully recyclable."

Ms Ratcliffe added that we can all help by delaying a phone upgrade for a while longer. "This is the International Year of the Periodic Table," she said. "So it's a great time to be thinking about all the amazing elements out there. And just by holding onto your current phone for another year, you can really make a difference in environmental terms."

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49409055

[m4DD0gg]

Easy enough to sell at places like CeX, they will pay for gadgets that are broken as they can harvest components and re-use for after market sales.

[Tommo220]

i'm terrible for this!

 

I can name about 15 phones that are still stashed somewhere in my house, let alone old Ipads, ipods, laptops, DVD players etc. that all get thrown in to the loft - whether working or not as "you never know when it'll come in handy".

 

 

 

 

 

[davieG]

8 minutes ago, Tommo220 said:

i'm terrible for this!

 

I can name about 15 phones that are still stashed somewhere in my house, let alone old Ipads, ipods, laptops, DVD players etc. that all get thrown in to the loft - whether working or not as "you never know when it'll come in handy".

 

 

 

 

 

Actually it's not that easy. I've got a couple of phones a Sony Experia X10one and a less popular Cubot X17 and I can't find anyone online that will take them even for just recycling.

 

I guess it's because the Sony one is too old and the Cubot is just not wanted by anyone.

 

Looks like the local tip for me.

[Countryfox]

Just opened my draw ...   guilty I'm afraid ! ..   old phones everywhere  ...

[Sir Shep]

I’ve got loads, but if the components are that rare I’m holding on to mine so I can make a killing later!! 

[VLC86]

5 hours ago, davieG said:

By Victoria Gill
Science correspondent, BBC News


Louise and her family's hoard of old technology is typical of a UK household
"Ten phones, two laptops, digital cameras... all just sitting here. We're not dealing with it." Louise Lewis is surveying a collection of old gadgets that have piled up in her home.

Her technological stash, experts say, is typical. But it could jeopardise our ability to manufacture new devices.

A study has estimated that as many as 40 million unused gadgets are languishing in UK homes.

Each device contains multiple valuable and increasingly endangered elements.

Smartphones contain around 30 different elements, some of which the Earth is running out of
The growing, unseen shortage of so-called "rare earth elements" was the impetus for the Royal Society of Chemistry's survey of just how much unused technology we are all stockpiling.

The organisation carried out an online survey - completed by more than 2,000 people - which revealed that half of UK households had at least one unused electronic device and 45% of homes had up to five. Most people admitted they had no plans to recycle their collection.

What elements could we run out of?
"There are about 30 different elements just in a smartphone," said Dr Elisabeth Ratcliffe from the Royal Society of Chemistry, "and many of them are very rare."

The metal indium, she explained, is used in a unique compound called indium tin oxide, which is vital for touch screens, because it conducts electricity and is transparent. "It's also used in solar panels, so we're going to need a lot of it in the future.

"There's not a lot of it in the Earth and you need a kilo of ore to extract just a few milligrams of indium."

Most of us will not have heard of tantalum, but it's a highly corrosion-resistant metal that is "perfect for small electronic devices like our phones", explained Dr Ratcliffe. "But it's also perfect for hearing aids and pace-makers," she told BBC News.

Scientists estimate that indium and tantalum mines, among others, could run out within a century. Meanwhile, our demand for new technology continues to increase.

"Even the copper in all that wire is not endlessly abundant," added Dr Ratcliffe. "On top of that, most of these devices are coated in plastic, which could be recycled."

Elements in smart phones that could run out within the next 100 years

2019 is the international year of the periodic table
Gallium: Used in medical thermometers, LEDs, solar panels, telescopes and has possible anti-cancer properties;
Arsenic: Used in fireworks, as a wood preserver and added to poultry feed to prevent disease;
Silver: Used in mirrors, reactive lenses that darken in sunlight, antibacterial clothing and gloves for use with touch-screens;
Indium: Used in transistors, microchips, fire-sprinkler systems, as a coating for ball-bearings in Formula One cars and solar panels;
Yttrium: Used in white LED lights, camera lenses and can be used to treat some cancers;
Tantalum: Used in surgical implants, electrodes for neon lights, turbine blades, rocket nozzles and nose caps for supersonic aircraft, hearing aids and pacemakers.

 

So what should I do with my old tech?

 

In short - recycle it; you can search for your nearest electronics recycling point online.

 

"Take it to your local tip," advised Stuart Price from Electrical Waste Recycling in Huddersfield. "Or a retailer - distributors actually have an obligation to take back material when you buy a new product from them."

"We need this material to go to reprocessing facilities, so it can be processed properly."

At electrical waste reprocessing plants, devices - even wires- can be broken down into their component parts for recycling
Many people who hoard old tech are concerned about protecting their personal data, but a "factory reset" should protect that - and council tips and responsible retailers keep electronics secure before they recycled.

According to the Electrical Waste Recycling Group, about 500,000 tonnes of electronic waste is recycled in the UK every year. But that is only a fraction of the "E-waste" that is piling up in landfill and in people's homes.

Much of the responsibility for that will lie with tech manufacturers, according to Prof Lenny Koh, director of the Centre for Energy, Environment and Sustainability at the University of Sheffield.

"The current approach is not sustainable," she told BBC News. "With increasing demand and reliance on smaller devices and more sophisticated technology, there'll only be more waste to be recycled.

"Manufacturers need to think about the entire life-cycle of a device at the design stage - so devices are built to be fully recyclable."

Ms Ratcliffe added that we can all help by delaying a phone upgrade for a while longer. "This is the International Year of the Periodic Table," she said. "So it's a great time to be thinking about all the amazing elements out there. And just by holding onto your current phone for another year, you can really make a difference in environmental terms."

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49409055

Yeah, phones and laptops love. We know.....  🐇 ‘s AOTS

[Bellend Sebastian]

To be honest I could really use the space this Enigma machine is taking up

[davieG]

2 minutes ago, Bellend Sebastian said:

To be honest I could really use the space this Enigma machine is taking up

Huh! Could you decode that for me?

[Dr The Singh]

I still got those Dildo's which use Nickel Cadmium batteries that I borrowed of DavieG lying around

[davieG]

6 minutes ago, Dr The Singh said:

I still got those Dildo's which use Nickel Cadmium batteries that I borrowed of DavieG lying around

It's a good job for my gardening I've got Fork Handles handy then.

[Kopic]

For me, I feel I cant just bin or recycle something I've spent 100s of pounds on, even if its not working. I've got every phone I've had since I was 13 and even though they are zero use to me and completely worthless, my brain wont let me just get rid of them after the money spent.

[Dr The Singh]

4 hours ago, davieG said:

It's a good job for my gardening I've got Fork Handles handy then.

Is your mrs still got the the electric rotating strap we sold you.  Your Mrs was happy as it was a brown colour, to remind you of me.

[davieG]

37 minutes ago, Dr The Singh said:

Is your mrs still got the the electric rotating strap we sold you.  Your Mrs was happy as it was a brown colour, to remind you of me.

WTF is an electric rotating strap brown or otherwise? 

Is it something you got from the barbers for the weekend sir?

[Dr The Singh]

1 hour ago, davieG said:

WTF is an electric rotating strap brown or otherwise? 

Is it something you got from the barbers for the weekend sir?

Sorry davieG I missed the 'on' from Strap, I'm surprised you didn't pick that one up

[davieG]

52 minutes ago, Dr The Singh said:

Sorry davieG I missed the 'on' from Strap, I'm surprised you didn't pick that one up

No point in there being electronic and rotating if they’ve not got an ‘on’ switch 

[foxile5]

There should be a drive on getting the likes of Apple to make tech to last.

 

Planned obsolescence and enforced slowing/bricking acts to keep the 2 year contract cycle in play. Technology companies were more than happy to get that cycle going. I'm typing on my phone which, like the last two I've owned, is starting to fail and play up...each one has done his just as the contract renewal comes up. It's not coincidence. 

 

I THINK I've recycled all the old tech in my house - that will be returned to me at a higher price by Sony or whoever, no doubt. 

[WigstonWanderer]

37 minutes ago, foxile5 said:

There should be a drive on getting the likes of Apple to make tech to last.

 

Planned obsolescence and enforced slowing/bricking acts to keep the 2 year contract cycle in play. Technology companies were more than happy to get that cycle going. I'm typing on my phone which, like the last two I've owned, is starting to fail and play up...each one has done his just as the contract renewal comes up. It's not coincidence. 

 

I THINK I've recycled all the old tech in my house - that will be returned to me at a higher price by Sony or whoever, no doubt. 

Time that governments and regulators stepped up to make this sort of thing illegal. Patiently obvious that this is the game they play.

 

Also consumers could play a much bigger role in not letting them get away with it by trying to make things last longer. It is very often possible with a factory reset, etc. I service home computers and have rescued many that are on the brink of being thrown away, some as old as 10 years, by a simple clean installation of Windows 10. They are often in perfectly good condition and perform better than when new.

 

Unfortunately the closed architecture of Apple products makes this much more difficult, but the ridiculous fawning over their newest products, which often offer very little more than the previous generation, plays into their hands.

 

These companies are not your friends. They will do whatever it takes to rip you off and grab as much profit as they possibly can and sod the environment.

[foxile5]

1 minute ago, WigstonWanderer said:

Time that governments and regulators stepped up to make this sort of thing illegal. Patiently obvious that this is the game they play.

 

Also consumers could play a much bigger role in not letting them get away with it by trying to make things last longer. It is very often possible with a factory reset, etc. I service home computers and have rescued many that are on the brink of being thrown away, some as old as 10 years, by a simple clean installation of Windows 10. They are often in perfectly good condition and perform better than when new.

 

Unfortunately the closed architecture of Apple products makes this much more difficult, but the ridiculous fawning over their newest products, which often offer very little more than the previous generation, plays into their hands.

 

These companies are not your friends. They will do whatever it takes to rip you off and grab as much profit as they possibly can and sod the environment.

Oh yeah, they're real scumbags for it alright.