It’s Time to Get Serious About Upcycling E-Waste
Across the UK, an estimated 55 million unused smartphones are sitting forgotten in drawers and cupboards. It’s a growing issue — and one that puts the UK on track to become one of the largest contributors to electronic waste in the next few years. When devices end up in landfill, the metals, plastics and chemicals inside them can leak into the environment, harming ecosystems and increasing carbon emissions.
The good news? There’s a simple, effective way to tackle the problem: upcycling. Shifting our habits from throwing away old tech to reusing and repurposing it could make a huge difference. Let’s look at why upcycling matters — and how trading in unused devices helps reduce e-waste.
Why Is Upcycling So Important?
Upcycling means giving old devices a second life instead of sending them to landfill — and the environmental impact is far bigger than most people realise:
- The UN estimates the world produces 50 million tonnes of e-waste every year — equivalent to over 250 billion brand-new iPhone 12s.
- Only 20% of e-waste is recycled properly; the rest pollutes soil, water and air.
- Smartphones contain valuable materials such as gold, cobalt, platinum and lithium — most of which are lost forever when devices are thrown away.
- Up to 80% of a phone’s carbon footprint comes from manufacturing, not use — meaning recycling or upcycling a device cuts its environmental impact dramatically.
The Benefits of Trading In Your Old Tech
Trading in your unused phone, tablet or device is one of the simplest ways to upcycle. Not only does it stop perfectly good tech from being wasted, but you can also earn some extra cash in the process. For example, some devices are worth up to £460 depending on condition and model.
When you trade in with Envirofone, every device is wiped, cleaned and refurbished to be used again — helping create affordable alternatives to buying new. Refurbished tech is especially popular with parents buying phones for teens or students, or anyone wanting premium models at lower prices.
Choosing to upcycle reduces demand for newly manufactured devices, which in turn lowers the need for mining precious materials and cuts overall carbon emissions. If you’re ready to trade, you can explore the Envirofone trade-in options.
Why Battery Recycling Matters
Smartphone batteries contain materials like cobalt, nickel and manganese — chemicals that can leak into the environment if they end up in landfill. Recycling lithium-ion batteries helps prevent this and has major benefits:
- Lower CO2 emissions and reduced energy consumption
- Less mining for virgin materials
- Conservation of natural resources like lithium and cobalt
- Reduced environmental toxicity
- Fewer safety risks from damaged or overheated batteries
It’s important to remember that most of the world’s cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where child labour and dangerous working conditions remain widespread. Upcycling and recycling our devices means fewer newly mined materials are needed — reducing reliance on conflict resources.
For help deciding when to move on from your current device, our guide on how often you should upgrade your phone breaks down the key signs it might be time for a change.
A Small Action With a Big Impact
As National Upcycling Day approaches, it’s a perfect reminder that every unused device has value — either as a refurbished handset or through recovered raw materials. At Envirofone, devices that can be repaired and reused go back out into the world as refurbished tech. Anything beyond repair is responsibly recycled through specialist facilities that extract materials such as lithium and cobalt for reuse.
Upcycling isn’t just about clearing out a drawer — it’s about reducing waste, protecting the planet and making better use of the resources we already have.
