Last one decade has witnessed many technological breakthroughs in the world. Mobile phone is the most significant one and especially smart phone. In today?s world the relationship between man and mobile phones is like fish and water. Mobile phone is the most common gadget that every one, right from street hawkers to CEOs of the company, carry. Of course, it is so handy while making calls, taking photos and even while browsing the net. Most of the phones have wi-fi features these days but when we use such phones we need to be sometimes introspective about what goes into making such phones or how green it is? How was it processed? While buying smart phones we disregard the commercial motives of the greedy manufacturers who only care about money and never pay attention to the environmental impact of their manufacturing process. If we consider the eco-friendliness of all the smart phones in the market based on its processing method before they are sold in the market we will come across many loop holes.

There are pool of designers who conceptualize the mobile phone products first and then product goes for designing, assembling and marketing. Designers create prototypes that can range from plastics to Styrofoam materials.

Printed circuit board, screen, case and keypad are all manufactured separately. Then they are assembled and tested later. Once all aspects are cleared products are packed and shipped. During this phase that series of complaints against Apple Company were filed because of the hazardous chemicals used during the manufacturing process as well as the extensive working hours each worker had to work. However, Apple took necessary actions to address such concern. In the year 2013 the company was addressed as the Best Manufacturing Company because of its environment friendly actions in the past few years.

As per the research umpteen number of phones are dumped that goes into landfill every year since the time, usage of phone by any person on an average has come down to 15 to 18 months. Toxic chemicals found in these gadgets like mercury, lead, benzene, and the likes, leak to different bodies of water, seep to the ground, and blend with the air. No doubt, mobile phones are one of the most hazardous e-waste if they are dumped into landfill instead of recycling. These substances deliberately cause pollution and diseases of all sorts that can result to death when not treated immediately. Cell phones are made from several slow-to-decompose and potentially toxic materials, such as plastic and lead, used in the casing. According to Earth911.com, plastic casings can take hundreds, if not 1,000 years, to start breaking down in landfills. Lead, arsenic, zinc, and other compounds inside the phone can leach into and pollute surrounding soil and water. There are many ways with which we come in contact with these toxic chemicals. The toxity of such hazardous products can affect both humans and animals in many ways – through the air we breathe direct contact to our skin and through the food we eat.

Even though mobile phones have been extremely useful for us in the present cut throat competitive world but my concern is that we should use it judiciously right from its manufacturing stage to the stage when we dispose it after certain time as these gadgets may be one of the culprits in destroying our planet. If we have old and functional mobile phones we can submit or donate it to outlets or organizations who take such gadgets and give to people who cannot buy mobile phones especially in remote areas. There are few business shops who take old mobile phones. They refurbish old and broken phones and reproduce them into functional ones at pocket friendly prices. Such businesses deliberately help reduce the amount of phone wastes in landfills.

Credit- e- channel news