More Eco-Friendly Mobile Phones from Nokia
Nokia is said to be planning to launch around 40 new mobile phones this year - each containing biodegradable components that can be easily recycled. D Shivakumar, VP and managing director, Nokia India, told India's Business Standard newspaper: "We will be using biodegradable phone covers, recyclable battery designs that use less harmful toxic materials and energy efficient accessories for all our forthcoming phones. Already, we have eliminated the use of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) in all our phones."
The company is also evaluating plans to put a prepaid postage bag within each box when a handset is sold to allow customers to return their older model for recycling.
The Nokia 3110 is already said to by sixty-five percent recyclable - and the company has plans to reduce the power consumption of mobile phone chargers by 50% by 2010.
A couple of years ago, Fujitsu developed a new polymer with a high bio-content that uses castor oil, which the company said at the time could be used for small components of mobile phones, such as connector covers. In 2002 Fujitsu started using bio-based polymers based on polylactic acid, made from materials including corn, in the chassis of the FMV-BIBLO notebook PC. However, in order for plant-based materials to be used more widely in Fujitsu products, what has been needed is the development of a new bio-based polymer with a higher bio-content that features superior flexibility and is suitable for mass-production.
On the web: Business Standard
Posted to the site on 21st May 2008
