Closing the Loop!
#shifthappens!
Closing the Loop!
Did you know that by purchasing a SHIFT device you are making an active contribution to reducing electronic waste? Because for every device we sell, we have an old one recycled. On this page we will explain to you how we implemented this with our partner ‘Closing the Loop’ and why it is so important.
#shifthappens!
Our cooperation with Closing the Loop!
For every SHIFT6mq or SHIFTphone 8 sold, we have an old device recycled by our partner Closing the Loop.
We have already collected 8000 old smartphones in 4 years - as of April 2020.
More than 90 % of precious metals are recovered during recycling.
As a result, a total of 38.4 g of Gold, 198.5 g of Silver, 33.9 Kg of Copper and 3.32 g of Palladium were returned to the cycle.
This enabled us to save 431.8 Kg of e-waste through our cooperation with Closing the Loop.
The problem:
E-waste is the fastest growing waste stream on our planet.
In 2022 alone, a record- breaking 62 billion kg of e-waste was generated, of which less than 22.5% was properly collected and recycled!
Approximately 62,000,000 tons of electronic waste are generated worldwide every year. That’s 62 million vans loaded with electronic waste.
A traffic jam of these vans along the equator would circle the earth more than eight times.
According to the Global E-waste Monitor, of the 62 million tons, not even 22,5% of global electronic waste is officially registered and professionally recycled. In Africa this number is even lower.
The electronic waste that is not officially recycled is, among other things, disposed of in landfills orinformally recycled.
Both have far-reaching consequences for people and nature.
Our solution:
Through Closing the Loop we drive the collection of broken phones and prevent them from becoming electronic waste in countries lacking proper recycling facilities such as Ghana and Nigeria. Instead of ending up in polluting landing fills, the broken devices are gathered through a collection network and in turn sent to facilities where the e-waste is safely handled, dismantled and packed to be sent to recycling facilities. Out of this, valuable metals for the industry are extracted from the broken devices and brought back into the industry.
Collecting the old devices
Storage and registration of old mobile phones
Transport to a certified recycler
Recycling according to EU standards
Reuse of precious metals
The result: We are positive for electronic waste!
Our contribution to minimizing electronic waste is the device deposit introduced in 2016, with which we want to ensure that no SHIFTphone ends up in the trash and that valuable materials are not lost. By supporting the work of Closing the Loop and our responsible use of raw materials, we are e-waste positive.
Together with Closing the Loop, we have already collected 8000 smartphones, avoiding more than 431.8 Kg of electronic waste from ending up in toxic landfills in emerging countries. Over 90% of the precious metals were recovered when recycling these recycled devices. This includes 38.4 g of Gold, 198.5 g of Silver, 33.9 Kg of Copper and 3.32 g of Palladium. Precious metals recycling numbers are based on the collection and recycle data from Closing the Loop since 2015. This entire process corresponds to a saving of XX tons of CO².
Far-reaching positive social change in recycling: This initiative extends far beyond its environmental impact: it also encompasses social benefits. It provides stable income for local e-waste collectors. By collaborating closely with communities to collect e-waste, we promote responsible disposal practices, ensuring safe handling and environmental preservation.
We are grateful to have found a partner in Closing the Loop who works on site where damage is being done and develops solutions.The following pictures were provided to us by Closing the Loop.
Informal recycling: Welcome to Sodom!
The film Welcome to Sodom, which was released in 2018, clearly explained to us what is meant by improper recycling:
„SODOM is the name given to the part of the Ghanaian capital Accra that only those who absolutely have to enter. The Agbogbloshie landfill is the final destination for computers, monitors and other electronic waste from Europe and all over the world. Every year, around 250,000 tonnes of discarded smartphones, printers and other devices from our digitalised world end up here illegally. Children and young people shred our e-waste in the open air. New raw materials are obtained by melting old cables in clouds of pitch-black smoke. A ‘clean’ business for some, a toxic daily routine for others.“