The O2 network’s move to switch off 3G next month could see £13 million worth of e-waste generated, according to business waste collection firm BusinessWaste.co.uk.
The 3G switch-off on O2’s network is expected to affect approximately 4.3 million people across the UK.1 It could generate an enormous 70,516 kilograms of e-waste, said WEEE specialists with the group, roughly the same weight as 5.9 double-decker buses. And the materials from scrapping these old phones could be worth £13,769,488.
Copper is the most abundant metal found in devices with 68,800 kilograms being generated from 4.3 million old devices, worth a total of £509,808. Silver falls in second place with a total of 1,505 kilograms generated at a value of £1,223,535.
Gold is obviously the most valuable material present in these phone, and 146 kilograms could be retrieved from them, with a value of £10,397,184.
Of similar value is palladium within phones, which is expected to generate 65 kilograms of waste, valued at £1,638,961.
What is the switch off?
O2 will be switching off its 3G network starting in April 2025. The switch-off will begin in the Durham area before moving across the UK. While other networks such as Vodafone and EE have already switched off their networks, O2’s is significant due to the large number of customers it affects.
Networks like Tesco Mobile, GiffGaff, and Virgin Media all use the O2 network, meaning it will also affect their customers. Therefore, it’s estimated the switch-off could impact more than 4.3 million Brits.
The thinking behind switching off 3G networks is that it will allow more capacity and free up “spectrum” that can be used to expand 4G and 5G networks. This should help to combat signal dead spots. The government set a deadline of 2033 to phase out both 3G and 2G.
Why will it generate e-waste?
With some devices only able to connect to data through 3G technology, these will no longer make calls, send texts, or connect to the internet once the network is switched off. As a result, any such devices become unfit for purpose and users will have to swap to a newer model.
Therefore, they’re likely to discard their old devices in some way.
What can consumers and the industry do?
The best option for any old 3G devices is to recycle them. Up to 80% of the materials in your phone are recyclable, and many materials carry value if they’re extracted and reused.
Many places offer recycling schemes that will pay you to recycle your old device such as O2 Recycle and Money Magpie. There’s even a dedicated comparison site to ensure you get the best deal for your old electronics, Compare and Recycle.
Mark Hall, WEEE expert at Business Waste, comments: “The decision to switch off 3G and 2G networks will inevitably lead to a huge amount of e-waste and leave a big impact on our environment. E-waste is the world’s fastest-growing solid waste stream with more than 50 million tonnes generated globally each year.
“However, the good news is that with the majority of materials in our devices recyclable, you can look to reduce your carbon footprint. By doing this you can reduce e-waste and prevent it going to landfill.
“E-waste that ends up in landfills can cause damage to our soil, ecosystems, and even human populations as hazardous substances leak out and contaminate the environment. So it’s especially important to ensure you recycle old devices responsibly.”
Notes
[1] https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2025/01/survey-claims-4-3-million-uk-people-may-lose-o2-data-access-after-3g-switch-off.html#google_vignette
