From Green Right Now Reports
AT&T today announced it will switch to more eco-friendly packaging for its wireless device accessories and the company will require manufacturers of its mobile phones to reduce the environmental impact of future handsets.
The Dallas-based company said it estimates that the packaging improvements for device chargers, cases, batteries and data cables will help to avoid more than 200 tons of wasted plastic and paper in 2010.
AT&T will work with its suppliers of mobile phone accessories to use less plastic and paper in packaging. Batteries and data cables will come in recyclable paper boxes rather than plastic “clam shell”-style packaging . The packaging for protective phone cases and car chargers will change to slimmer packaging. The changes will eliminate more than 60 percent of the paper and more than 30 percent of the plastic previously used for accessory products, AT&T said.
In addition to containing less paper and plastic, the improved accessory packaging will be printed using non-petroleum-based inks.
“These improvements are sound business decisions, but more importantly, they significantly reduce the impact of this packaging on the environment,” Jeff Bradley, senior vice president of devices, said in a statement. “This is a small but meaningful next step that AT&T decided to take, and we are pleased to deliver new packaging alternatives that are recycled, can be recycled, and generate less waste.”
In 2009, AT&T introduced environmental requirements and goals for the manufacturing of wireless devices. Those requirements begin to take effect for new wireless phones this year and must be fully met by the end of 2011. These include:
- AT&T’s suppliers must reduce packaging, use non-petroleum based inks and use recycled materials for in-box documentation of new devices.
- Seventy-five percent of new devices will be at least 65 percent recyclable. By weight, most of the new phones AT&T sells will be made of materials that can be recycled when the phones are retired.
- A majority of new devices will comply with the GSMA Universal Charging Solution. This change will allow consumers to use a single, more energy-efficient charger with most new devices.
- All new devices must comply with the European Unions’ Restriction of Hazardous Substances mandate. This directive restricts the use of lead, mercury, and other hazardous materials used in electronic equipment.
- Suppliers will be required to assert that all devices delivered to AT&T have avoided virgin materials mined in conflict zones within the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
You can get information about how to recycle with AT&T at www.att.com/recycle.
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