Why consumers keep old smartphones
Our own research shows that electronics that still work – such as smartphones – are the most commonly kept, compared to clothing, furniture, household appliances, and toys. One in five people does this (19.3 percent). Valuable raw materials are gathering dust, and that is a missed opportunity for recycling. If producers can reuse these components, fewer new raw materials are needed. Additionally, a full-fledged market for refurbishers and repairers emerges: entrepreneurs who refurbish devices, reuse parts, and thus create jobs and value from what would otherwise be 'waste'.
So why do the Dutch keep their old phones? Half do this for emergencies (55.5 percent). But how often do you really use it again? Others think that selling it yields too little (14.8 percent) or don’t know what else to do with it (12.6 percent). 12 percent even throws an old phone away immediately. There is still much room for better information about reuse, recycling, and refurbishing. Many consumers, for example, do not know that their device can often be taken back at the store, online shop, or telecom provider – including certified data deletion. That barrier needs to be lowered.
Key reasons that phones are left unused:
- "Handy for emergencies" – an old phone remains as a backup device in the drawer but is rarely charged or used.
- "Selling yields too little" – the expected return feels too low compared to the 'hassle' of selling or shipping.
- "I don’t know what else to do with it" – uncertainty about where and how to responsibly return it.
- "Just throw it away" – a small but harmful group puts the phone with the residual waste, causing raw materials and parts to be lost.
Why that phone in the drawer does matter for the circular economy:
- The production of one smartphone costs more energy and raw materials than all its use afterwards.
- By refurbishing or recycling devices, you extend the lifespan of materials and reduce the demand for new mining.
- Every returned phone is essentially a mini-mine: a compact source of metals, parts, and value.
More education about the circular economy and drop-off points needed
If consumers know the benefits of recycling and refurbishing – for the environment and their wallets – they will likely return their old smartphones faster. In addition to raising awareness through education, the government must ensure more drop-off points. The government should set up a system for phones similar to that for batteries. This way, returning becomes a natural part of consumers' daily lives. By giving old electronics a second life, fewer new raw materials are needed, and the circular economy comes closer. Think of standard drop-off bins in supermarkets and electronics stores, return labels with online orders, or a small return fee per device – just like a deposit on bottles.
Concrete measures that can help:
- More visible drop-off points: not only at electronics stores but also in supermarkets, schools, and municipal offices.
- Clear, simple explanations: what happens to your data, the parts, and the raw materials after return?
- Incentives and rewards: a small fee, discount on a (refurbished) device, or a savings program upon return.
- Clear rules regarding data-safe deletion, so consumers know that their photos and data are guaranteed to be removed.
Companies also play a key role in this. Employers can make fixed agreements with recycling and refurbishing partners when replacing business devices, so complete batches of phones are controlled back into the chain. The more parties participate, the fewer smartphones ultimately end up in that notorious junk drawer.
Ultimately, the circular economy starts surprisingly small: with one drawer, one less old smartphone, and a consumer (or business) that decides not to leave it lying around for another year but to send it back into the chain.
