“ From the point of view of the electronics industry , the biggest shift needed is a philosophical one ”
NATHAN WRENCH HEAD OF SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION , CAMBRIDGE CONSULTANTS
This is where the idea of the circular economy comes into play - the philosophical shift away from single-use , single-owner smartphones and towards a world where “ By the time it makes sense to pulverise and turn the product into a sand-like powder , all other opportunities to extract value from the product need to have been exhausted .”
Bringing about this philosophical shift from a disposable to a circular economic model , however , will require concerted effort at all levels of the industry - from manufacturers to governments , consumers , and telecom operators .
“ Smartphone manufacturers and the telecoms industry have a crucial role to play in tackling e-waste and supporting the circular economy ,” says Tracey Herald , Head of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at Virgin Media O2 . “ At Virgin Media O2 , we ’ re helping our customers make greener choices from sustainably disposing of old devices , to helping them make more informed decisions when
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