Cited by 46Recycling and Waste Management TechniquesExtraction and Separation ProcessesWaste Management and Recycling

Disposal of obsolete mobile phones: A review on replacement, disposal methods, in-use lifespan, reuse and recycling

Open access
Prabhu N, Shailesh, Majhi, Ritanjali·2023·Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy

Abstract

Usage/consumption of mobile phones has increased rapidly around the world. As of April 2021, there were 5.27 billion mobile phone users. Meanwhile, the generation of obsolete mobile phones/mobile phone wastes is also increased mainly due to the replacement of mobile phones. The in-use lifespan of mobile phones is correspondingly getting decreased. The inappropriate disposal of obsolete mobile phones leads to adverse consequences on the environment, human health and on metal recovery. This review article provides an insight on findings from various articles on disposal of obsolete mobile phones by users/consumers. The various aspects, such as reasons for replacement, disposal methods adopted by users/consumers, impact due to the adoption of improper disposal methods such as handing them over to the informal recycling sector and storage/hibernation after its in-use lifespan, were covered. Along with this, the study even focuses on reduce, reuse and recycle (3Rs) of sustainability. Reduce means reduction of mobile phone replacement frequency. Storage of mobile phones post-in-use lifespan is the most opted disposal method, and it is one of the significant barriers to reuse, recycling and metal recovery. When it comes to recycling, the research undertaken on the recycling of obsolete mobile phones is not as in-depth when compared to the research done on recycling of e-waste in general. This article identifies future directions for sustainable end-of-life management of obsolete mobile phones.

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  • Relying solely on user-led do-it-yourself repair efforts, while valuable, has inherent limitations for achieving widespread adoption beyond niche consumer segments.

    “Relying solely on user-led DIY repair efforts, while valuable, has inherent limitations for achieving widespread adoption beyond niche consumer segments (van der Velden 2021; Prabhu and Majhi 2023).”

    From Integrating Life Cycle Assessment, Monetised Externalities and Value Alignment for Strategic Reconfiguration of Circular Business Models: The Case of Smartphones (2026) · cites this paper as Prabhu and Majhi 2023

    The review’s “In-use lifespan of mobile phones” section says repair can extend a phone’s use, but that repairability has had only a marginal impact and that costs and consumer beliefs pose barriers. It also calls for viable repair services and accessible parts. It does not specifically assess user-led DIY repair or whether its adoption is confined to niche consumer segments. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Barriers such as reluctance to accept secondhand products, outdated technology, desire for up-to-date devices, smartphone storage, and inappropriate disposal methods are considered significant.

    “Customer awareness: Barriers such as a reluctance to accept secondhand products, outdated technology, and having a desire for up-to-date devices [53], as well as smartphone storage and inappropriate disposal methods, are also considered significant [54].”

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Authors
Prabhu N, S., & Majhi, R.
Affiliations
  • School of Management, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, India
  • National Institute of Technology Karnataka (IN)
Venue
Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy
Published
2022-06-20
Volume
41
Issue
1
Pages
18-36
ISSN
  • 0734-242X (ISSN-L)
  • 1096-3669
OpenAlex
W4283156861
Cited by
46
References
25
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 1
FWCI
0.70
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Waste Management & Research The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Waste Management and Disposal › Recycling and Waste Management Techniques
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Extraction and Separation Processes
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Waste Management and Disposal › Waste Management and Recycling
Keywords
mobile phone waste, mobile phone recycling, informal recycling sector, metal recovery, end-of-life management, reduce, reuse, recycle, electronic waste
MeSH terms
Humans, Longevity, Cell Phone, Recycling, Electronic Waste

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