WEEE

Our report aims to explore recent advances in EPR and to provide recommendations for the stakeholders involved in this market. After a brief introduction on the history of EPR in Europe, we
discuss pending issues in the current practice of EPR, with particular emphasis on the WEEE Directive and its Recast as they are the focus of recent discussions on implementation. Then, based on a series of interviews with a set of stakeholders, we analyze the perspectives and key concerns regarding EPR implementation.

This study presents and analyzes the data of the Italian system for take-back and recovery of waste electrical and electronic equipments (WEEEs) in the start-up period 2008-2010. The analysis was focused particularly on the data about the treatment of end-of-life cooling and freezing equipments. In fact, the wastes of cooling and freezing equipments have a high environmental impact. Indeed, in their compressor oil and insulation polyurethane (PU) foams chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) ozone-depleting gases are still present. In the period 2001-2004 Northern Italy resulted the main source in Europe of CFCs. The European Directive on WEEE management was enacted in 2002, but in Italy it was implemented by the legislative Decree in 2005 and it became operational in 2008. Actually, in 2008 the national WEEE Coordination Centre was founded in order to organize the WEEE pick-up process and to control collection, recovery and recycling targets. As a result, in 2010 the average WEEE collection per capita exceeded the threshold of more than 4 kg per inhabitant, as well as cooling and freezing appliances represented more than one fourth of the Italian WEEE collection stream. During the treatment of end-of-life cooling and freezing equipments, CFCs were recovered and disposed principally by burner methods. The analyses of defined specimens collected in the treatment facilities were standardized to reliably determine the amount of recovered CFCs. Samples of alkaline solid salt, alkaline saline solution, polyurethane matrix and compressor oil collected during the audit assessment procedure were analyzed and the results were discussed. In particular, the analysis of PU samples after the shredding and the warm pressing procedures measured a residual CFCs content around 500-1300 mg/kg of CFCs within the foam matrix. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electronic waste is increasing globally. It contains valuable materials and at the same time toxic components that can be released if they are not processed right. Some countries like Ghana
receive a large amount of e-waste without having the infrastructure to process it properly. Workers involved in e-waste recycling buy materials to extract and resell the valuable parts but suffer health hazards due to inappropriate recycling techniques. The scrap yard in Agbogbloshie, Accra, is an e-waste processing site known for cable burning.

Resources available to the e-waste processing workers are assessed in order to understand their wants and needs, finding that business development is a high priority. A new narrative of the place based on this idea could help it develop and increase workers’ capabilities. The value chain of some valuable elements in e-waste prove a global interest in them and the position of Agbogbloshie as a node in the global recycling system. Communal workshops (Makerspaces) are proposed as a way to allow workers to build and enhance their own tools. Better tools together with added value to some e-waste components could improve the lives of those
working in Agbogbloshie. Three different tools are analysed and implementation guidelines proposed: a cable shredder to avoid burning, a quadcopter to map the area, and microcredits.

Indium and other geologically scarce metals are routinely integrated into green technologies and modern consumer electronics. The manufacture of solar cells and liquid crystal displays (LCDs) relies strongly on continued indium supply, yet very little research has been conducted to determine what total resources exist to meet future or even present needs. This paper provides an improved understanding of the nature of indium resources and the current and future production and supply of this critical metal through a summary of global trends in indium production and demand, and through a preliminary account of global code-based reporting of indium mineral resources. Authors also present an overview of the potential for indium extraction from mine wastes and recycled electronics using Canadian and Australian case studies. Our preliminary data suggest that considerable resources are likely to exist in a diversity of deposits globally, which have the potential to meet long-term demand for indium. However, it is clear that a secured future supply of this metal will require some shift of focus from conventional extraction practices. It will be necessary to revisit controls on the conversion of resources to reserves and to supply and the discovery of additional resources to replace those depleted by continuing production. The prospects for indium supply from mine wastes and recycled electronics are found to be substantial, and these sources warrant greater consideration given their probable environmental and social advantages over the discovery and development of new primary indium deposits.

Mobile phones are the most ubiquitous electronic product on the globe. They have relatively short lifecycles and because of their (perceived) in-built obsolescence, discarded mobile phones represent a significant and growing problem with respect to waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). An emerging and increasingly important issue for industry is the shortage of key metals, especially the types of metals found in mobile phones, and hence the primary aim of this timely study was to assess and evaluate the voluntary mobile phone takeback network in the UK. The study has characterised the information, product and incentives flows in the voluntary UK mobile phone takeback network and reviewed the merits and demerits of the incentives offered. A survey of the activities of the voluntary mobile phone takeback schemes was undertaken in 2008 to: identify and evaluate the takeback schemes operating in the UK; determine the target groups from whom handsets are collected; and assess the collection, promotion and advertising methods used by the schemes. In addition, the survey sought to identify and critically evaluate the incentives offered by the takeback schemes, evaluate their ease and convenience of use; and determine the types, qualities and quantities of mobile phones they collect. The study has established that the UK voluntary mobile phone takeback network can be characterised as three distinctive flows: information flow; product flow (handsets and related accessories); and incentives flow. Over 100 voluntary schemes offering online takeback of mobile phone handsets were identified. The schemes are operated by manufacturers, retailers, mobile phone network service operators, charities and by mobile phone reuse, recycling and refurbishing companies. The latter two scheme categories offer the highest level of convenience and ease of use to their customers. Approximately 83% of the schemes are either for-profit/commercial-oriented and/or operate to raise funds for charities. The voluntary schemes use various methods to collect mobile phones from consumers, including postal services, courier and in-store. The majority of schemes utilise and finance pre-paid postage to collect handsets. Incentives offered by the takeback schemes include monetary payments, donation to charity and entry into prize draws. Consumers from whom handsets and related equipment are collected include individuals, businesses, schools, colleges, universities, charities and clubs with some schemes specialising on collecting handsets from one target group. The majority (84.3%) of voluntary schemes did not provide information on their websites about the quantities of mobile phones they collect. The operations of UK takeback schemes are decentralised in nature. Comparisons are made between the UK’s decentralised collection system versus Australia’s centralised network for collection of mobile phones. The significant principal conclusions from the study are: there has been a significant rise in the number of takeback schemes operating in the UK since the initial scheme was launched in 1997; the majority of returned handsets seem to be of low quality; and there is very little available information on the quantities of mobile phones collected by the various schemes. Irrespective of their financial motives, UK takeback schemes increasingly play an important role in sustainable waste management by diverting EoL mobile phones from landfills and encouraging reuse and recycling. Recommendations for future actions to improve the management of end-of-life mobile phone handsets and related accessories are made.

The rapid obsolescence of consumer electronics have been causing the fastest waste flow production of the post-industrialized world. Specific international legislation about Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) aspire to restrict the inadequate disposal, promoting the replacement of toxic substances and encouraging recyclability, through concepts like Extended Producer Responsibility, Reverse Logistics and Life-Cycle Analysis. In Brazil, the National Solid Waste Policy classifies e-waste as special waste, and requires that the manufacturers, importers and retailers
promote the reverse logistics, recycling and proper final disposal. The present research aimed to investigate the development of new possibilities in obsolescence management through product
design, by novel methodologies on the life cycle and end-of-life treatments. The results showed that the actual environmental practices are punctual and superficial, still distant of the procedures described in legislation.

If we consider Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) management, we can see the development of different positions in developed and developing countries. This development started with the movement of WEEE from developed countries to the developing countries. However, when the consequences for health and the environment were observed, some developing countries introduced a ban on the import of this kind of waste under the umbrella of the Basel Convention, while some developed countries have been considering a regional or global WEEE recycling approach. This paper explores the current movements between Source and Destination countries, or the importers and exporters, and examines whether it is legal and why illegal traffic is still rife; how global initiatives could support a global WEEE management scheme; the recycling characteristics of the source an destination countries and also to ascertain whether the principle of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has been established between the different stakeholders involved in WEEE management.Ultimately, the Full Extended Producer Responsibility is presented as a possible solution because the compensation of the environmental capacity for WEEE recycling or treatment could be made by the contribution of extra responsibility; and also generating an uniform standard for processing WEEE in an environmentally sound manner could support the regional or international solution of WEEE and also improve the performance of the informal sector.► Source and Destination countries involved in the movement of WEEE have been studied. ► Legislation, facilities and EPR are presented in Source and Destination countries. ► Mostly Destination countries do not have EPR established and have informal facilities. ► Source countries: good technology, EPR established and mostly WEEE regulation enacted. ► Regional WEEE recycling should be under global standards for Sources and Destinations.

The use of educational artifacts created from waste of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) was considered practicable and effective by a research conducted by Andrade (2012), in which he created and used training kits using WEEE including Inverted pendulum Kit. Through an analysis of this artifact, this work proposes the implementation of improvements in the Inverted Pendulum Kit to provide a didactic device for training of Computer Engineering students. This work presents the analysis of the Inverted Pendulum Kit and performed the implementation of the proposed improvements in hardware and software. Tests are presented with the original kit, and then the impacts that the proposed improvements accounted for using the kit definitive are shown.

16. Kurzfassung Vor dem Hintergrund der rasant zunehmenden Verbreitung von Anwendungen der Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) untersucht das Forschungsprojekt mögliche zukünftige Auswirkungen eines massenhaften Einsatzes von RFID-Tags im Konsumgüterbereich auf die Umwelt und die Abfallentsorgung. Der gegenwärtige Einsatz von RFID-Tags stellt die derzeitigen Entsorgungssysteme für Siedlungsabfall zwar vor keine nennenswerten Herausforderungen.

Mobile phones have relatively short lifecycles and are rapidly seen as obsolete by many users within little over a year. However, the reusability of these devices as well as their material composition means that in terms of mass and volume, mobile phones represent the most valuable electronic products that are currently found in large numbers in waste streams. End-of-life mobile phones are a high value (from a reuse and resource perspective), high volume (quantity), low cost (residual monetary value) and transient (short lifecycle) electronic product. There are very large numbers of higher education (mainly university) students in the world – there are >2.4 million in the UK alone, 19 million in Europe and 18.2 million in the USA – and they often replace their mobile phones several times before graduation. Thus, because of the potentially significant environmental and economic impacts, a large scale survey of students at 5 UK universities was conducted to assess the behaviour of students with regard to their use and disposal of mobile phones. Additionally, a small scale trial mobile phone takeback service at one of the universities was carried out. The findings indicate that many students replace their phones at least once a year; replacing broken phones, getting upgrades from network operators, remaining “fashionable” and a desire to have a handset with a longer battery life are the main reasons for such rapid replacement. Almost 60% of replaced phones are not sent to reuse or recycling operations but are stockpiled by students mainly as spare/backup phones. Approximately 61% of students own an extra mobile phone with male students replacing their phones more often than females. In particular, the results highlight the potentially huge stockpile of mobile phones – and consequently valuable supplies of rare metals – being held by the public; we estimate that there are 3.7 million phones stockpiled by students in UK higher education alone (29.3 and 28.1 million stockpiled, respectively, for Europe and USA). Although many students are aware of UK mobile phone takeback services, only a moderate number have previously used the services. Students’ recycling of other waste materials such as paper and glass did not have a significant impact on their disposal actions for their unwanted mobile phones, although students who often recycled these waste materials were also the most willing to participate in mobile phone takeback services. Monetary incentives such as cash payments and vouchers have the greatest influence over students’ willingness to utilise takeback services, followed by convenience and ease of use of the services. The paper discusses these findings as well as the outcome of the trial mobile phone takeback. It is suggested that universities should partner with established takeback operators to conduct event-based mobile phone takeback services primarily targeting students. Lessons from mobile phone takeback applicable to takeback services for end-of-life gadgets similar to mobile phones are also discussed.

Electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) that has come to its end-of-life (EoL) either by ceasing to function or ceasing to be of any value to its owners is commonly referred to as e-waste. In the European Union (EU), these wastes are referred to as waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). This chapter discusses two key themes critical to understanding and tackling the challenge posed by WEEE, namely: (i) four key issues that make WEEE a priority waste stream; and (ii) WEEE management practices in various countries and regions. Drawing on a comprehensive literature review and four case studies, this chapter critically analyses and discusses the factors that influence the generation, collection and disposal of WEEE, specifically addressing the spatial and temporal interactions of these factors before an alternative approach to conceptualising and managing WEEE is proposed.

El Proyecto WEEE TRACE pretende asegurar la trazabilidad desde el origen al reciclado final (desde la cuna a la tumba) de los residuos de aparatos eléctricos y electrónicos (RAEE) mediante el uso de tecnologías avanzadas de información y comunicaciones como el etiquetado RFID, video, etc. Este control de trazabilidad ayudará a incrementar los niveles de recogida de los RAEE hasta los el 65/85% que establezca la nueva normativa así como garantizar que estos residuos trazados son canalizados a procesos de tratamiento apropiados minimizando las fugas a circuitos no controlados, tratamientos inadecuados o exportaciones ilegales de estos residuos. Asimismo, la identificación correcta de las RAEE en las plantas de reciclaje facilitará la identificación de las sustancias peligrosas y el alcanzar los nuevos objetivos de reutilización, reciclado y valorización.

Electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) that has come to its end-of-life (EoL) either by ceasing to function or ceasing to be of any value to its owners is commonly referred to as ewaste (Widmer et al., 2005). In the European Union (EU), these wastes are referred to as waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). This chapter discusses two key themes critical to understanding and tackling the challenge posed by WEEE, namely:(i) four key issues that make WEEE a priority waste stream; and (ii) WEEE management practices in ...

Township Metropolis: design for disposal
Katarina Dimitrijevic, Greenside Design Center, South Africa
Abstract:
From an African perspective, this paper attempts to overview various socioeconomic survey data, which is used as an empirical tool for retail design process. With this in mind, the
author’s intention is to explore, from macro to micro level, the various examples of multilayered weave of the urban environment and tribal influence within the local township community. A socially conscious design approach was the primary focus, which can inspire and empower local individuals towards small scale co-production. The design motto was to integrate Nampak
products in interior presenting innovative re-use of materials. This creates a dynamic interaction between retail space vs. rural/urbanized consumers and the enviro-social impact of products sold directly to public. The case study will be examined, focusing within the South African context on local trends which are emerging, influenced by growing middle class consumers. Is something dematerialized in this transition from informal street trade to formal retail space? Is this new mall
in effect a true reflection of the cultural and lifestyle needs of the consumer, or is it merely a replication of global malls trends, satisfying only developers’ needs as the final outcome? This paper serves to not only attempt to answer these questions, but to provide a platform for clarity in understanding the design process and their final outcomes, when focus is on a sense of community engagement, recycling and a prescribed low budget.

Waste Electrical and Electronics Equipment(WEEE) recycling is an important approach towards green computing apart from several other approaches like energy consumption, cloud computing. This study focuses on the approaches of green computing and how it can be used to minimize the environmental impacts of computers and other IT related resources effectively by WEEE recycling. This paper tries to answer the following two questions: What are the issues affecting proper implementation of the WEEE recycling as a green computing approach? What are the most important parameters? The study was carried out on the basis of some case studies. Firstly some field study were carried out for identifying the issues pertaining to the WEEE recycling in the IT industry's, secondly priority rating was obtained considering the parameters obtained from the primary research and literature survey, Finally the obtained ratings were analyzed using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) for prioritizing t...

Abstract
The present paper introduces a structured method for the analysis and reconfiguration of the disassembly depth distribution of components making up a constructional system, with the aim of obtaining a generalized improvement in ease of disassembly in relation to the requirements of recovery at end-of-life.

As evidenced in the report of the case study proposed, the method and associated tools provide information regarding the criticality of a system and make it possible to direct an intervention modifying the principal design parameters (characteristics of layout, shapes of components, and types of junction systems) in a way that improves the efficiency of disassembly. This comes off through a reasoned redistribution of the disassembly depth of components, searching for concordance between the ease of disassembly and the real need for it, and favoring the disassemblability of those parts of the system with higher environmental impact content, to recoup it at end-of-life.

Keywords:
Design for disassembly; Disassembly depth; Recovery; Environmental impact; End-of-life

The concept of distinct urban mines (DUM) is presented and discussed. A survey of product consumption and disposal flows of students for 17 selected EEE was conducted. A total of 499 useable questionnaires were received. Four of the EEE were owned by >60% of students – mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras and MP3 players. Per capita, each student owned 7.32 products of selected EEE. Most products would only be replaced if they broke. The present strategy for WEEE takeback/treatment is not resource efficient and a rethink is required. A DUM can be a source of high value WEEE. Selective and separate WEEE collection within a DUM is one approach. Collection could be refined to allow the transition to a product and/or material-based takeback in which WEEE rich in valuable materials are prioritised for collection and treatment

This paper is a discussion of demands on disassembly of waste electronics and electrical equipment as a crucial prerequisite to enable actual recycling of materials and components. Disassembly is crucial to the amount and type of recycling of a product, and as such a standard concern of ecodesign, despite that it is not evident that ease of disassembly is equally relevant to the environmental impact of all kinds of products. Although the recent WEEE directive places responsibility for waste handling and disassembly with the producer industry, it is still doubtful whether this induces ecodesign activities in the sector. On the basis of empirical investigations in the electrical and electronical industry the relevance of the design for disassembly approach to the electronics industry is discussed critically. It is concluded that a deeper understanding of the conditions for the disassembly approach is needed to organize product development in an ecodesigned direction, which addresses b...

This paper characterises and analyses the operations of third sector ICT (information and communication technologies) reuse organisations in the UK. There are at least 46 organisations that repair/refurbish and sell reused electrical and electronic equipment (REEE) most of which deal with computers and related devices. Main donors for used electrical and electronic equipment (UEEE) are private businesses and public administration whereas major customers for REEE are private individuals. The organisations sold ~241K appliances in 2010. Using a case study, the paper also assesses the potential contribution of the organisations to a reuse network where materials/by-products from ICT industries are exchanged on a resource platform and ultimately channelled as raw materials for other industries. The paper critically discusses the findings and makes recommendations for consideration when designing and implementing reuse networks for ICT.

The activities of various stakeholders with regard to the collection, reuse, refurbishment and recycling of mobile phones in the UK have been assessed. Over 100 schemes offering online takeback of mobile phone handsets were identified. This paper presents and discusses the characteristics of these schemes including their collection methods, incentives they offer and their convenience to users.

ZeroWIN (Towards Zero Waste in Industrial Networks - www.zerowin.eu) is a five year project funded by the EC under the 7th Framework Programme. Amongst others, ZeroWIN examines how producers' responsibility can be applied in the electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and photovoltaic sectors. Discussion about extending producers' responsibility for environmental impacts of their products to the entire product life cycle began in the 1990s. Since then, many environmental regulations focusing on treatment of end-of-life products have incorporated the concept of producer responsibility. This paper identifies and critically discusses global implementation of producer responsibility in the photovoltaic and EEE industrial sectors. Characteristics of current systems and markets preventing or facilitating its implementation are discussed.

Resource scarcity fears emphasize the need to transition from a linear to a circular flow of resources in the economy. Securing supplies of critical raw materials (CRM) necessary for manufacture of modern technologies is at the forefront of issues affecting industry as large quantities of natural resources are used in the production of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE). This makes Waste EEE (e-waste) a resource-rich stream of CRMs and other natural resources.

In this paper, the concept of unique/distinct urban mines (DUM) from which high value e-waste can be extracted and valuable materials potentially recovered is explored.  The urban space comprises several urban mines which can be contrasted by (i) product flows; (ii) material concentration; and (iii) material composition. Using urban spaces “of higher education” (e.g. universities) as an example, the concept of DUMs is illustrated. Large scale quantitative survey data of student ownership and replacement of 17 high value EEE within a DUM in the UK is analysed. 

There was approximately 526 tonnes of EEE in this urban space of which 16.5% would be ready for ‘exploitation’ (i.e. end-of-life/use) in the urban mine within 3 years. Per capita, each student owned 7.32 products of selected EEE. By weight, the majority of the items that would enter the urban mine within this time are PCs [minus monitors] (~24 tonnes). Considering individual items, mobile phones are most common (~12 K units), weighing 1.2 tonnes. In this DUM, the 3 year period is important since majority of students are expected to complete their studies within this time. This presents an opportunity to capture this e-waste within the DUM itself. The present strategy for WEEE takeback/treatment is not resource efficient and a rethink is required. A DUM can be a source of high value e-waste. Selective and separate e-waste collection within a DUM is one approach. Collection could be refined to allow the transition to a product and/or material-based takeback in which e-waste rich in valuable materials are prioritised for collection and treatment.

This study investigates how new system initiatives around deposit-refund systems (DRS) and end-of-life management (EoLM) could merge and possibly lead to a circular and sustainable transition path of metal resources embedded in information and communications technology (ICT) products. Seen through the object of mobile phones, the cardinal objective has been to find ways of approaching full recycling and recovery of the finite metals and to see how these could be cycled back into the supply chain. In this way, bypassing environmental and social externalities in the pre-manufacturing phase from the use of virgin resources. Inspired by the transformative approach in backcasting methodology, this study builds a vision for a sustainable future of ICT products, by analyzing approaches to circular economy (Boulding) (Stahel) and how it conforms to the sustainability approach in environmental and ecological economics respectively. This vision is used to make a sustainable gap analysis of the present postcommercialisation ICT product life cycle, and to define a set of goals along information transfer, resource and value transfer and needs of technological innovation, for increased recycling and recovery of metals. This leads up to a scenario analysis for a DRS on mobile phones and the search for new opportunities in EoLM. Empirical studies for the analysis are based on a larger consumer survey around mobile phones and formal semi-structured interviews of individuals in relation to the present collection, pre-processing and end-processing stages of e-waste. The main conclusion is that a DRS system is deemed able to create a solid foundation for effective endcollection throughout the post-commercialization product life cycle and is able to transfer valuable resources and information to the EoL phase. EoLM can ensure better recovery if original equipment manufactures (OEMs) engage by using the opportunities of reversed logistics and sub-contracting the scrap-resource to end-processors. Here, there is a need to certify the processing of e-waste and to provide eco-rating systems of products, to ensure sustainability in the system and provide measurable and transparent lifecycle product profiles in the future. If such system initiatives are broadly adopted, the analysis shows that needed technological eco-innovation of products could emerge as a result of efficient collection, symbiotic network possibilities in EoL and possible push-effects from political consumers. Therefore, this study contributes to the planning field of sustainable production and consumption systems by qualifying a combined scenario on how to design and approach the opportunities in DRS and EoLM.

This paper explores means of optimising WEEE reuse activities in the UK by analysing the reuse activities of a WEEE reuse network comprising three socio-economic enterprises. The study indicates that network-like elements are already operational in the UK with variations in the type of equipment handled, current and future capacities and operational challenges faced. The reuse network handles ~50 tonnes of WEEE per annum but suffers from limited access to reusable WEEE at local amenity sites. The study proposes a conceptual WEEE framework and network to enhance reuse in the UK. The study helps identify key stress points in the current WEEE management system with reuse and networking as the main focus. It discusses the major challenges faced by existing reuse organisations and makes recommendations to address these.

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is one of the fastest growing UK waste streams. The UK WEEE Regulations prioritise waste prevention, reuse, recycling and recovery to minimise disposal of electronic products in landfill. This paper evaluates and discusses the UK collection network for household WEEE by analysing the operations of key stakeholders. The paper discusses the amount of wastes collected, how it is handled and processed. In UK urban areas, there are adequate facilities for the collection of unwanted appliances. In 2009, the UK surpassed collection targets for WEEE; by weight, the bulk of these were large household appliances, cooling appliances and display equipment. The majority of the collected waste was recycled with minor fractions reused. The core logistical problem facing the network is insufficient storage space for collecting unwanted appliances. The paper makes recommendations for consideration by policy- and strategy-makers in their appraisal of the collection network.

The estimated impacts of the digital switchover on Hampshire’s and UK’s Household Waste Recycling Centres have been evaluated and discussed in this paper. It has been established that the majority of televisions (TVs) in the UK are digital ready. Awareness levels about the switchover are high though awareness levels about the dates of the event are still modest. About half of UK households are not aware that TV recording devices will be affected by the switchover. The most important finding of the study is that the UK Government may have underestimated the quantities of TV and related devices that will be disposed during the switchover. The paper concludes by making recommendations to address identified issues.

This paper estimates the number of mobile phones stockpiled by students in higher education in the UK, the USA, Germany and Australia and analyses the quantities and monetary worth of raw materials (strategic metals) embedded in the phones. We estimate that there are ~36.8 million mobile phones weighing ~3,685 tonnes in stockpile, containing ~1,200 tonnes of key metals with a monetary value of ~$120 million. Further analysis and comparisons are made regarding the embedded resource value of mobile phones versus their resale (reuse) value. The availability and market prices of precious and strategic metals as well as economies of scale (quantities of mobile phones stockpiled) are important factors in assessing the true worth of stockpiled mobile phones as opposed to per capita handset values.