- There are now more mobile phones than people in Ireland!
- It is estimated that 1.5 million mobile phones were replaced in Ireland in 2005 - that's enough to stretch the length of the Dublin Needle almost 2000 times.
- Some mobile phones and their accessories contain some of the most dangerous substances known to man.
- Mobile phones contain small amounts of precious metals like gold silver and copper
- It is expected that one billion handsets will be sold each year by 2009.
- The average mobile phone user will replace their handset once every 18 months.
- Mobile phones contain numerous substances which need to be disposed of in safe and efficient manner:
The Cadmium in the battery from a single old phone could seriously contaminate 600,000 litres of water, enough to fill a third of an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Cadmium is being phased out of new batteries.
Lead - which affects the immune, endocrine and central nervous systems, and causes serious damage to children's brains - is used to solder components to the printed wiring boards.
Brominated flame retardants, used in wiring boards and plastic cases, have been associated with cancer, liver damage and problems with the neurological, immune and endocrine systems.
Beryllium, which can cause serious lung damage, is used in contacts and springs and highly toxic dioxins can be emitted if the phones are incinerated in waste plants.
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