In http://www.fespinal.com/espinal/realitat/pap/pap179.pdf I found this text. I'm going to afford to copy as I read. I suggest, strongly, to read.
Probably you felt bombarded by advertisements for mobile phones more and more new, smaller and with more features than likely never use. Remember Me could resist?
In this paper we offer some information that often we ignore our consumption decisions.
They focus on microelectronics as a product, even though many are generalizable to other products. We hope to help us move towards a more responsible consumption.
What is the cost of a mobile phone? The mobile material origins
A standard cell phone weighs about 100 grams (battery not included) and consists of a 40-60% plastic, 20 - 40% of metals, and about 20% of materials.
Its structure is complex and contains between 500 and 1000 different components, all of varying composition.
Among the main compounds are noted for the proportions of copper (10-20%), iron (2-10%) and aluminum (up to 10%) Among the minor components is remarkable the presence of elements like antimony (as a flame retardant), tantalum (in the composition of capacitors), beryllium, nickel,
chromium, lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, gold or silver, and compounds as flame retardants and PVCs bromados1.
extraction and processing of these substances involves a mass movement of material, known as "backpack green ", which can be estimated at a minimum of 75 kg. mobile phone. This amount of waste material is generated mainly in the extraction of rare metals and mining
difficult, part mobile phone.
Moreover, it is estimated that between 40% and 65% of the energy consumed in the life cycle of a mobile phone (without taking into account the energy costs of communication infrastructure) is consumed in manufacturing and transportation of the device. Also dominate in such manufacture and transport of mobile indicators for the destruction of the ozone layer and potential human toxicity.
Finally, we must bear in mind that some chemicals used are expensive and scarce resources, why are related to different problems and social and environmental abuses. Paradigmatic examples of this are the collection of tantalum and gold mining or oil.
Although tantalum major exporters are Australia and Canada, a significant part of it is obtained in central Africa, where minerals are extracted from known by the name of coltan. Exploitation in this region is associated with the financing of wars between Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo, and the destruction of protected environments Kahuzi Biega National Park, where mountain gorillas live.
gold mining is widespread in different parts of the world, and its removal often involves the use of highly toxic compounds such as mercury or cyanide. Without adequate control measures, mercury air emissions and wastewater streams with cyanide, all too frequently, there is more to remember, for example, the disaster in Baia Mare in 2000 and the situation of garimpeiros the Brazilian Amazon.
As for oil, tanker accidents, wars Persian Gulf deforestation and the expulsion of the natives in the Ecuadorian Amazon, are well-known conflicts.
Should we change it? Creating a strategy needs
In March 2006, mobile lines (and therefore the number of mobile phones in circulation) were located in Spain, 44.3 million, surpassing the sheer number of people (44.1 million).
This phenomenon is repeated in other surrounding countries. For 2006, estimates sales of phones in
1. Some of these substances (lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers) are restricted in the EU, from July 2006 for the entry into force of the RoHS directive. This implies
a) that electronic devices placed on the market prior to this date
may contain these substances and b) that the content of these substances in electronic devices introduced later, is restricted, according to the rules.
Spain are around 19.1 million units. Of these, most other phones will replace perfectly functional. It is estimated that 80% of mobile purchases are renewals.
Globally, mobile customers add 2.4 billion, and increased to 120 million in the second quarter of 2006. While the life of a mobile (battery excluded) is estimated at about ten years, the average time of use is estimated between 18 and 30 months. This process, by which the product ceases to be desirable over time, although its functionality has not changed and its capabilities are still intact, is called obsolescence. There is talk of technical obsolescence to indicate that the device performance have been overcome, functional obsolescence, to refer to the emergence of new features not supported by the device obsolete, and obsolescence psychological, where the product is no longer desirable due to changes in fashion and social styles fostered and encouraged by the marketing and advertising.
Although some of this obsolescence and renewal is attributable to excessive end-users include commercial practices that encourage the excessive consumption.
One possibility is advertising pressure, combined with cosmetic changes, developing trends and the gradual and continuous introduction of new functionality at a pace that is more responsive to marketing interests to technical limitations.
A second practice, advocating for change is his phone low economic cost to the consumer. The fact that the devices are highly subsidized, either through gifts or rebates in loyalty programs, reimbursement of the cost of calls or offers in the execution of new contracts, means that the citizen has difficulty perceiving the material costs , social and environmental impacts of their consumption.
A third difficulty facing the consumer is responsible for anchoring the apparatus in the various phone companies, so that changing the service company usually involves changing the electronic equipment.
Finally, also hinder reuse electronic equipment at a relatively high purchase cost of components such as transformers or batteries, the low compatibility between the different cell components (why should they be different all chargers?) and the inability to update the software used to adapt the equipment new features.
And the other? The problem of electronic waste
is estimated that between States and Europe, are shot annually 235 million phones. Of these, are recycled less than 10%. Thereby increasing the immense problem of electronic waste.
is estimated that in the world are produced annually 20 and 50 million tonnes of waste electrical and electronic equipment. These residues have two characteristics that make them clearly of concern: the volume and toxicity. Electronic waste suppose, in the European Union, 14 kg. per person per year, or a total of 6.5 million tons annually. This batch of material waste is the fastest growing, with an estimated 8%.
toxicity of electronic waste is the main problem facing their final destination. If carrying a spillway can release heavy metals and other toxic compounds in the rivers and groundwater. If incinerated, the presence of PVC compounds polychromatic and aromatic volatile metals may lead to the release in the atmosphere, highly dangerous toxic.
Recycling, on the other hand, is difficult and expensive, given the complexity and high compaction of electronic devices, in general, and mobile phones in particular. Despite that there are processes capable of recycling up to 17 different metals waste mobile phone, the economic cost is much less transport to poor countries for their reassessment.
Thus, a significant portion of these wastes are sent to poor countries for reuse, repair, recycling or simply discharged. It is estimated that about half of the material sent for repair or reuse pouring just as its use is not possible or cost effective. Weirs have been localized electronic waste from Europe, America or Japan, in places as disparate as Guiyu (China), Karachi (Pakistan) and Lagos (Nigeria).
discharges
addition, some of these places are held practices of recycling metals from high risk to health and the environment, without the minimum control measures and security. And so, some wastes are burned for the recovery of lead, iron, copper or other metals, others are treated with acid solutions for the recovery of gold, or just broken for the recovery of copper in all cases, this facilitates the release of more toxins in the environment.
addition, some of these places are held practices of recycling metals from high risk to health and the environment, without the minimum control measures and security. And so, some wastes are burned for the recovery of lead, iron, copper or other metals, others are treated with acid solutions for the recovery of gold, or just broken for the recovery of copper in all cases, this facilitates the release of more toxins in the environment.
Different analysis, in regions where these practices take place recycling, have proved, in water and soil, with concentrations 100 times higher than the values \u200b\u200brecommended by international and governmental agencies such as the Organization World Health or U.S. EPA.
final reflection
The best way to maintain our world is to reduce our consumption and consumer support practices and responsible use of available resources. Hopefully the ideas reported here briefly, not only make us think twice about our change of mobile, but also everything that is related to our consumption (regardless of immediate economic cost to our pockets).
Jordi Cuadros, Albert Florensa, Joaquim Menacho
Cristianisme Members
i Justicia Chemical Institute of Sarrià, Universitat Ramon Llull
Print: Edicions SL Rounds - ISSN 1135-7584 - DL B-45397-95
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