MobileMuster Key Facts

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'MobileMuster' is the official recycling program of the mobile phone industry. Its aim is to prevent mobile phones from ending up in landfill. Below are some interesting facts about mobile phones in Australia:

For information on how to get involved in 2010 MobileMusters, visit the website: www.mobilemuster.com.au

• There are over 21 million mobile phone subscribers in Australia.
• Mobile phone handsets can be recycled when you no longer want them or if you are upgrading your phone and have no further use for the old one.
• Plastics from handsets and accessories should not be burnt as they can release dangerous chemicals into the air.
• Australians upgrade or exchange their mobile phones every 18 to 24 months.
• 80% of people choose to keep or give away their old mobile phones, less than 2% throw them out.
• More than 52% of people keep their old mobile phones, resulting in over 16 million used mobile’s being stashed away in cupboards and drawers at home and work.
• In 2008/2009 MobileMuster collected 122 tonnes of mobile phone components.
• 647 tonnes of handsets, batteries, chargers and accessories have been collected since 1999 (this includes 4.43 million handsets and batteries)
• Gold is one of a number of precious metals contained in the circuitry of a mobile phone. Although only small traces of gold exist in each individual unit, more than 300 grams of gold can be recovered from each tonne of handset circuit boards.
• Why recycle your old mobile phone?
  • prevent pollution and protect our environment
  • minimise solid and hazardous waste going to landfill
  • recover resources to manufacture new products
  • reduce the need to use raw materials and save our natural resources
• Over 90% of the materials in mobile phones can be recovered and used as raw materials for new products such as:
  • Mobile phone batteries include nickel to make stainless steel, and cobalt and cadmium to make new batteries.
  • Mobile phone circuit boards include small amounts of gold and silver that is used in jewellery and other applications.
  • Mobile phone handset housings and casings include plastics that are shredded and used to make fence posts and pallets.
  • Mobile phone accessories include plastics and metals that are shredded, sorted and then used to make new plastic or metal products.