Lack of smartphone sustainability in Switzerland hits environment

Awareness of sustainability in the digital sector is still very much in the minority among the Swiss population, according to the statistical office Keystone/Peter Klaunzer

Almost half of all Swiss citizens hang on to their old smartphones, tablets and laptops, according to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). Sustainability in the digital sector is thus still in its infancy.

Between 66% and 80% of the digital sector’s carbon footprint comes from consumer devices, the FSO wrote on Monday in a report on ICT (information and communication technology) equipment and sustainability. In Switzerland, 8.2% of electricity consumption is attributed to the entertainment, information and communication media sector.

When buying and disposing of smartphones, tablets and laptops, more attention should be paid to sustainability, it said. Most of the carbon footprint is generated during the manufacture of the devices, not during their period of use. In the case of smartphones, manufacturing is responsible for at least 80% of the total carbon footprint.

+ Swiss demand more sustainability from companies and the state

The footprint of smartphones is also particularly unfavourable because they are used for a particularly short period: in Switzerland, this is estimated at two or three years.

Extending use

To minimise the environmental impact of digital technology, it would be important to extend the useful life of equipment through repair, resale or refurbishment. In addition, recycling of the raw materials they contain should be encouraged.

However, according to the FSO, 48% of internet users leave their old smartphone in a drawer. This proportion is only slightly lower for laptops and tablets (44%).

The situation is different for unused desktop computers: a quarter of people keep them at home, while 45% dispose of them as electronic waste. Smartphones are recycled or disposed of as e-waste by only a fifth of people, and laptops and tablets by 25%.

In international comparison, Switzerland appears to be a good pupil overall. But the survey shows that awareness of sustainability in the digital sector is still very much in the minority among the population, the FSO notes.

Translated from French by DeepL/ts

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