Independent mobile phone comparison site, www.compareandrecycle.co.uk, is calling for a new festive tradition, ‘Green Tuesday’ to encourage people to recycle the old tech they have lying around at home in time for Christmas and do their bit to help reduce electronic waste.
Nominated as 27 November, Green Tuesday comes hot on the heels of Black Friday, widely seen as the start of the Christmas shopping season and a day for great deals on the latest gadgets. It aims to get people clearing out unwanted tech, such as mobiles, laptops and cameras, to make room for the newest gadgets coming their way at Christmas. For every Apple Watch, iPhone or Playstation on a gift list, there are countless old mobiles and devices hidden away in draws at home and not being used – an astonishing 125 million phones according to Green Alliance.
The website – www.compareandrecycle.co.uk – says it wants people to take action, think green, and responsibly clear out their old tech junk. With mobile phone ownership in UK homes at 95% and 16% of households owning four or more phones, according to Statista, e-waste is a growing problem. The lifecycle of mobile phones is also getting shorter as contracts allow regular upgrades and gadget geeks race to get their hands on the newest releases from Samsung and Apple.
Matthew Moreton, Managing Director at Compare and Recycle, explains: “Green Tuesday aims to inspire people to make good use of their end-of-life gadgets so they can be re-used, repaired or recycled. Whilst we are familiar with lots of types of recycling, such as plastics and glass, when it comes to electronics there is very little in the way of encouragement to recycle IT devices correctly.
“This is why we are encouraging an annual clear out following Black Friday, the biggest consumer event of the year. Whether new tech is being bought as a Christmas gift or people are just treating themselves to a bargain this is a great time to recycle your unwanted gadgets. Take action now and don’t forget – responsible recycling is expected from us all year round!”
To find out more about how green your mobile is www.compareandrecycle.co.uk has produced a report detailing the environmental impact of smartphones, which can be read here.
