01.04.2012/XNUMX/XNUMX - Old cell phones hold treasure worth millions
Millions of old mobile phones are in drawers and cupboards. Industry and politics want to finally use the devices. 80 percent of raw materials in old cell phones can be recycled.
It is probably one of the least secured treasures in Germany, but it is extremely valuable. Germans hoard almost two tons of gold in their drawers - without even knowing about it. The precious metal is hidden in more than 80 million old and no longer used cell phones, each of which contains almost 25 milligrams of gold. In total, it is worth around 80 million euros. And yet the owners refuse to give up their devices.
For years, industry and politics have been trying to get hold of the cell phone treasure. Vain. It is estimated that only three percent of cell phones are recycled. "Cell phones that are no longer needed are a real store of raw materials," says State Secretary in the Federal Environment Ministry, Katherina Reiche (CDU). In fact, gold is only one of around 60 raw materials that are used in cell phones. 80 percent of it can be recycled, including silver and copper. One million cell phones contain 150 kilograms of silver and several tons of copper.
Although the amount of raw materials in each individual mobile phone is rather low, in sum, it could make a significant contribution to the careful use of scarce resources, says Bernhard Rohleder, the chief executive of the high-tech association Bitkom. In addition to gold, silver and copper, mobile phone manufacturers also need lead, nickel, bismuth, tin, antimony or iridium. Around three percent of global silver and four percent of gold production is currently disappearing in mobile phones and computers.
A cell phone will be replaced on average every 18 to 24 months. According to a representative survey of the Bitkom a large part of the discarded devices ends up in the drawers, about every fourth is given away. Just last year, according to market researcher Gartner, almost 1,8 billion cell phones were sold worldwide. Currently, users exchange their devices especially against the Internet-enabled smartphones. Bitkom's recent survey revealed that 83's millions of devices in the Federal Republic of Germany have an old mobile phone stock, 15 percent more than in the previous year.
The phone has long since plunged the industry into dependencies that it is not happy about. Rare earths, for example: They are won by more than 95 percent in China, including yttrium and europium built into mobile phones. Global buyers feel disadvantaged by Chinese export quotas, minimum prices and tariffs.
In Germany, a guideline applies to old mobile phones
For this reason, the USA recently lodged a complaint against China with the World Trade Organization, and Europe supports the procedure. Another example is coltan: manufacturers need the raw ore to make tantalum from it, which is used in the production of cell phone capacitors. Coltan is mined in Central Africa, sometimes illegally - in areas where mountain gorillas are threatened or where civil wars are raging. Children and young people often toil in the mines.
Politicians and industry are struggling to reduce these dependencies. Increasing scarcity of raw materials and rising prices, for example for gold and copper, make recycling seem a possible way out. Laws are enough.
In Germany, for example, product responsibility for old mobile phones, which regulates the proper collection and recycling, has long since become the responsibility of both the producers and the distributors. In the EU, a directive stipulates that in a few years 85 percent of the electronic waste is to be collected. Recycling yards accept the equipment for free.
Mobile operators advertise for return
The mobile service providers in Germany also entice their customers in the hope of the old mobile phones. Who wants to get rid of his device, it can in the shops of Telekom, Vodafone, Telefónica O2, E-Plus and Mobilcom-Debitel free or order over the Internet postage-free envelopes and then put the phones in the mailbox. Larger quantities can be picked up by the mobile operators of parcel services at the front door.
As an incentive, the network operators promise to donate a fixed amount for each cell phone or the proceeds from recycling to charitable organizations. A number of initiatives, including the “Bild” aid organization “Ein Herz für Kinder”, the Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU), Deutsche Umwelthilfe and the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) benefit from this. The donations are between one and three euros per old cell phone. "In this way, millions of dollars go to charitable organizations every year," says Bitkom CEO Rohleder.
However, a large portion of cell phones are not recycled at all, but checked, repaired if necessary, and then resold after the data was deleted. Some mobile phones offer to take the old device in payment. They then estimate the value through partner companies and either pay it off or send it as a voucher for new phones and call minutes.
Used mobile phones often land in Africa
Many of the used devices then end up in markets in Africa, where the number of cell phone users is still growing rapidly. The Federal Association of the German Waste Management, Water and Raw Materials Management (BDE) has been fighting against the practice of so-called re-use companies for years. "They use a legal gray area, since the old cell phones are still considered a product and commodity and not as waste before they are exported," says BDE President Peter Kurth.
"That is why they are exported under the pretext of the free movement of goods." Kurth demands that these "illegal exports" be prevented. There must be much stricter export controls, which should not begin in the ports but in the vicinity of the recycling centers. His argument: only if the old cell phones are properly recycled in Germany will the raw materials contained in the devices not be lost to the national and European economy.
The extraction of raw materials from old cell phones is a challenge even for the recycling companies. Most of the equipment is shredded, the resulting granules are processed by specialized companies, then they extract metals and precious metals.
Rare earths are not recyclable
Only a few companies are capable of doing so. When it comes to winning even the rare earths, which are installed only in the smallest amounts, almost all have to beckon. According to experts, it would take five to ten years to set up a rare earth recycling system in Europe.
However, before such recycling occurs, consumers must first be persuaded to leave their equipment in the right place. Although the Bitkom has determined in his survey that only two percent of old phones end up in the trash.
But estimates assume a much higher number and doubt the honesty with which consumers respond to such questions. Many do not bend the truth without reason: In Germany it is forbidden by law to throw old mobile phones into the normal dustbin. If you get caught you have to expect a fine.
Greens want a deposit model for mobile phones
Most recently, the Greens suggested asking a ten euro deposit for each cell phone when buying it. They submitted a corresponding motion to the Bundestag in March. "Consumers need a stronger motivation to return their old cell phone when they buy a new one," said the party's environmental spokeswoman, Dorothea Steiner. In four years one could aim for a return rate of 60 percent, in eight years of 80 percent. The application is to be discussed in the Environment Committee in April.
However, the industry is resisting this solution. "Cell phones are not cans," says Bitkom CEO Rohleder. A deposit would destroy the existing take-back systems. In addition, a deposit system that would have to be administered over such long periods of time would create an enormous bureaucratic effort and would be practically impossible to implement, says Rohleder.
In the Federal Ministry for the Environment one fears by such a solo effort a disadvantage of the Internet dealers in Germany, over which more and more mobile phones are ordered. Buyers would then simply order their new mobile phone abroad via the Internet. Without pledge, but with gold.
(Berliner Morgenpost)
