A survey by Greenpeace has found that consumers think mobile phone manufacturers release too many new models, and don’t do enough to recycle them.
In the survey across six countries, four out of five consumers also thought it was important that phones can be easily repaired if damaged.
Nearly half of those surveyed think that mobile phone manufacturers should be most responsible for making recycling of phones accessible, with German consumers at 61% most in favour.
In China (66%) and South Korea (64%) respondents are more likely to have had their phones repaired compared to just 28% in US and 23% in Germany.
Greenpeace global IT campaigner Chih An Lee said: “The humble smartphone puts enormous strain on our environment from the moment they are produced – often with hazardous chemicals – to the moment they are disposed of in huge e-waste sites.
“Over half of respondents across the countries surveyed agree that manufacturers are releasing too many models, many designed only to last a few years. In fact, most users actually want their phones to be more easily dismantled, repaired and recycled.”
Consumers were surveyed in USA, Germany, Russia, Mexico, South Korea and China.
