The mobile phone is perhaps the piece of electronics that is most frequently upgraded. Even if this doesn’t apply to everyone the upgrade frequency and the effects of it has become a worry. Researchers at University of California have investigated the matter and especially the fluids leaking from the piles of mobile phones. The fact is that the lead halt is so high that mobile phones should be classified as hazardous waste. There are mobile phones with acceptable levels of lead, but they still contain way too much copper, nickel, antimony and zinc. So far, over 700 million phones have been thrown away and the rate is increasing. In 2005 over 130 million phones was added to the pile. The study shows that there is a lot to wish for when it comes to more environmental electronics, not just when it comes to mobile phones.
