MobileMuster, has teamed up with not-for-profit organisation, Take 3 for the Sea, to support its mission to reduce plastic pollution in our oceans.
The partnership aims to tackle two of the biggest waste issues facing Australia – electronic waste (e-waste) and plastic pollution by highlighting the scale of Australia’s waste problem and educating people on how they can make a difference to prevent and reduce their personal waste at home.
With e-waste growing at three times the rate of general waste in Australia, 23 million old mobile phones stockpiled in drawers across the country (i) and an estimated 8 million metric tonnes of plastic entering our oceans every year (ii), there is a need to address this problem alongside plastic waste.
New research reveals that Australians have good intentions when it comes to recycling, with almost half (45%) stating that they intend to recycle their old mobile phones, but this motivation soon drops off with only 1 in 10 (15%) people actually recycling their old devices.
This motivation gap is something that MobileMuster aims to help address by giving people an extra reason to recycle.
This summer, MobileMuster is calling on Australians to take three minutes at home to dig out their old mobile phones and recycle them to help support Take 3 for the Sea in the work it does to help reduce plastic from entering the ocean in Australia.
MobileMuster has set a target to collect at least 30,000 old mobile phones over January and February 2019, for every mobile phone that is recycled with MobileMuster it will help Take 3 for the Sea remove plastics from our oceans and waterways. This means that Australians can declutter their homes, help save precious resources by recycling their old phones and clean up the environment.
Spyro Kalos, Manager of MobileMuster, said:
“We know that Australians are storing away mobile phones that could be recycled. Despite our good intentions to recycle, many of us don’t follow through. That’s why we’ve partnered with Take 3 For the Sea to give Australians an extra reason to recycle this summer. Our target is to collect and recycle 30,000 mobiles and at the same time remove almost 100,000 pieces of plastics from the oceans, plus inspire people to consider how they can reduce their personal waste at the start of a new year.”
At this time of year, many Australians will be considering upgrading their phone and looking at options of what to do with their old handsets, now is the time for them to make a bigger difference to support two causes.
Organisations like Take 3 for the Sea are fundamental in helping prevent plastic pollution and associated threats to marine life. A failure to address plastic pollution will result in there being more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050 (iii). Take 3 for the Sea’s global community is projected to remove up to 10 million (iv) pieces of plastic from the environment each year and this campaign helps to raise further awareness of the important role we can all play to minimise our environmental impact.
Tim Silverwood, Co-founder and CEO of Take 3 for the Sea, said:
“Plastic pollution is a growing global problem threatening wildlife and the health of our ocean ecosystems. Reducing plastic pollution starts with reducing waste and increasing recycling so we’re thrilled to be partnering with MobileMuster this summer. By taking 3 pieces of plastic from beaches or public places or taking 3 minutes to dig out your old phones for recycling, you can make a positive impact on our environment. I encourage everyone to get involved and recycle your old mobile phones, I know I will!”
It’s easy to get involved with the campaign, Australians can either recycle their old mobiles at one of MobileMuster’s 3,500 drop off points across the country or post them back, along with any accessories and chargers, by picking up a satchel at AusPost for free.
Everything collected by MobileMuster is recycled for the circular economy. Through the program 99% of the material from old phones and accessories are recovered and used in manufacturing new products, reducing the need for virgin materials. All the metal, glass and plastic in your mobile phone has the potential for a second life.
About Take 3 For the Sea
Take 3 For the Sea is a not-for-profit organisation established in 2009 with a very simple call to action: take 3 pieces of rubbish when you leave the beach, waterway or…anywhere and you’ve made a difference. Take 3’s mission is to reduce plastic pollution and promote the circular economy through education and participation. The organisation delivers education programs in schools, communities and online to reduce plastic pollution and promote the circular economy.
References
(i) IPSOS (February 2018), Consumer insights into mobile phone use and recycling . Based on a used sample size of 1001 people Australia-wide.
(ii) World Economic Forum (2016), The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics.
(iii) World Economic Forum (2016), The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics.
(iv) PwC Australia (2018), Connecting benefits: How social networking supports Australian small businesses and communities.