When a technology becomes as common as mobile phones are today, it’s natural that some people begin to wonder about the effect the phones have on our environment. We may have come a long way from the massive brick sized phones but many worry that phone manufacturers have not taken the same steps towards improving the environmental impact of phone creation that they have towards making phones smaller and more feature laden.

So what is the state of the “green” phone today? Research suggests that while manufacturers are taking steps to offer environmentally friendly handsets, they’re pretty much baby steps.

Electronic waste has become a growing, potentially earth threatening problem. Once upon a time electronics were expensive luxury goods built to last a lifetime. Now, with new technology making many electronics obsolete, (though functioning perfectly well), in a few short years, more and more electronics are used for a relatively short period and then thrown away.

The most well known example of this are computers. The media, helped along by environmental activists, has begun to report on the environmental impact of dumped PCs and laptops, which often contain extremely toxic chemicals, in massive electronic dumps in places like China. Mobile phones get less press than computers but dumped phones are hardly kind to the environment, not to mention the impact of their manufacture.

The EPA estimates that around 150 million phones are "retired" each year. Of that number, only about 20% are recycled. And according to an research report, less than 5% of retired mobile phones are recycled “ethically”. 

Very few handset manufacturers — except those with the scale to do it economically, such as Samsung and Nokia — are highly motivated to produce lines of green phones. Instead, the effort is towards compliance and the trickling down of proven green elements throughout entire product lines.”

Fortunately the major phone manufacturers are at least making some efforts to offer environmentally friendly phones and to improve environmental standards throughout all of their product lines. They’ve been helped along by new regulations like the EU's Reduction of Hazardous Sunstance Laws, which have pushed the major manufacturers like Nokia and Samsung to cut or remove PVC, toxic flame retardents and heavy metals from their new phones.

Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson, three of the biggest players in the phone market, have all dedicated time and money to offering greener phone options. Greenpeace recently lauded the three in their Greener Electronics Guide, and all three rolled out new concept phones in 2008 which were major steps forward.

The conscious consumer will soon have a few more options.  Nokia and Sony Ericsson both announced concept phones that would be made from recycled materials rather than new. 'Nokia Remade Phones will be constructed out of old tires and drink containers. Ericsson says its 'GreenHeart' concept phones will feature plastics made from both recycled materials and cleaner, plant based plastics. The phones will also use less electricity, particularly in standby mode where it will consume just 3.5 milliwatts per hour. 

Plant Based Plastics seem to be a popular new concept for phone manufacturers, with Samsung releasing three phones last summer which were encased in plastic created from corn. While it’s hardly going to solve all the environmental problems of the industry, plant based plastics can help reduce the heavy impact of plastic manufacturing, which can release an immense amount of toxins into the environment. 

Perhaps the most interesting new concept phone for the eco-friendly was announced by researchers at Britain’s University of Warwick.

Scientists working with a research and development firm announced a phone that can be simply buried when you’re done with it. The phone is actually biodegradable. Not only that, but when it biodegrades the phone will then nurture a seed which is embedded in its casing and will cause a flower to grow. The concept seems popular, with other researchers announcing a similar concept phone using bamboo seeds, and that one is even powered by a hand crank rather than traditional means.  Unfortunately this interesting new concept applies only to the phones' casing, rather than its internal mechanisms which will still have to be recycled traditionally. 

Phone recycling is by far the biggest environmental problem faced by phone users. Chances are you yourself have a few handsets tucked away in a drawer or closet at home. Multiply that by all the mobile phone users in the world (though not everyone has a bunch of old mobile phones) and you can begin to see the scale of the issue. Problem is many companies don’t have good recycling programs. Nokia and Sony Ericsson have been given high marks for their programs, which allow consumers to return their phones at any location for no charge.  Unfortunately not all companies do this, and it still requires the consumer to take action which can be a risky proposition at times. Many charities also accept old cell phones now, so your out of date handset can actually do some good. You have to remember that in most cases your phone can be recycled, but you are going to have to take action yourself.

One bright spot in environmentally friendly mobile phone research is solar power. Charging a phone can now be done without using your wall socket. Quite a few companies have released portable solar chargers, most of which can be used for almost any phone. Powering up is a fairly simple matter of exposing the panels to sunlight and hooking up your phone. Most aren’t pocket sized, but they can easily fit in a small bag or purse and aren’t particularly conspicuous. 

Thanks to Greenopia for publishing this report.