This is a call from our planet. Press the green button to answer the call... and discover why we want to collect 150.000 phones in 2021.
phones collected*. Our goal: 150.000 phones in 2021
Yes, we're already active. But will you recycle your old phone too? By doing this, you'll help reduce the negative impact of mining on our planet. Indeed, by recycling we don't have to extract as many raw materials from nature.
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The more we recycle together, the better. Show that you're answering our planet's call!
*This counter is regularly updated but is not a real-time display. The actual number of phones collected may therefore be higher.
Together, we protect our planet by engaging in urban mining. This means that we recycle the valuable raw materials from existing devices instead of extracting them from nature. Because the impact of artisanal mining on the environment is enormous: just think of deforestation, soil and water pollution, CO2 emissions, etc. Plants, animals and humans are all adversely affected. Besides environmental problems, artisanal mining is often also at the root of humanitarian crisis situations.
Currently, not much really. Today only 20% of electronic waste is recycled. Yet this mountain of waste is one of the fastest growing in the world. When it comes to old mobile phones, only 3 to 5% are recycled around the world, even though more than 90% of their materials are recyclable.
So, it's high time for action! And by that we mean recycling that whole pile.
Firstly, our valuable raw materials end up in the waste bin. Secondly, our natural resources are becoming exhausted. Pretty depressing. But luckily there is a solution.
Indeed, we don't have to extract those raw materials from nature at all. We can just get them from our electronic waste. In doing so we practice urban mining. This is much more sustainable and, what's more, much more efficient and environmentally friendly than artisanal mining. Let's do a comparison: from 8.5 tons of raw ore you obtain 42 grams of gold, whereas from 8.5 tons of electronic waste you obtain 2 kilograms!
You know what you have to do: retrieve that old phone from your drawer now and recycle it!
Our goal: to collect 150.000 old phones. We and our whole country want to set a good example by showing that it is possible to use smartphones in a more sustainable way.
Take part in the initiative through your school or company or take the matter into your own hands and bring in your old phone(s) to one of the collection points. In the Proximus Shops you'll receive a voucher of between 10 and 350 euro in exchange. Use the voucher yourself or donate the amount to our good cause, EIGHT.
474 tons
less CO2
19,125 tons
less poisonous waste
38.1 million liters
less water
Follow these simple steps to recycle your phone.
The possibilities of digital technology are practically endless. Under the 'Think Possible' promise we want to make as many people as possible aware of this. But to make full use of this technology you obviously need the right tools. And that's where mobile phones come into play.
As a telecom company we're all too aware that we contribute in a big way to the sale of mobile phones. And that's why we’re assuming our responsibility: with this project we want to commit to teaching Belgians to adopt a new, good habit: recycling your old phone.
We're not taking on this commitment on our own. In fact, we strongly believe that society makes the fastest progress when collaborating. Umicore, as the largest Belgian recycler of precious and other metals, shares this philosophy. That's why they will recycle the phones and we will jointly remind manufacturers of their responsibility to reuse scarce raw materials. For not only do we want people to recycle their phones, we also want to be sure that the recycled materials are reused afterwards to make the production of telephones more sustainable.
But, not only does mining of these raw materials have a negative impact on the environment, it also affects the local populations of the mining areas concerned. Indeed, mining in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo is often linked to humanitarian abuses. Through this action, we are also thus partnering with EIGHT.
This Belgian NGO works towards eradicating poverty, more particularly in African villages. Their idea is centered around sponsoring African villages, without the involvement of large institutions or a multi-million-euro budget, and without asking anything in return. By working with them, we want to sponsor a village in the Democratic Republic of Congo through this 'Don’t Miss The Call' action.
And so the circle is completed - that too is 'Think Possible'.