Thursday 16 March 2023

O2 stops 250k devices from hitting landfill

Virgin Media O2 has announced that it has stopped 250,000 of its devices from reaching landfill through its recycling programme.

In 2022, it claims that 92% of old devices were refurbished and resold as ‘like new’ products to prevent them reaching landfill.

Customers were paid £36 million in total for sending back their old phones – with £320 million being paid for 3.8 million devices since the recycling programme started in 2009.

The company claims its cash-back scheme for old phones has proven more popular than it projected, with an average of 950 devices sent back each day last year.

Chief Sustainability Officer at the firm said: “[The recycling programme] is a win-win for people and the planet. It’s preventing devices from ending up in landfill and it’s a simple and easy way for consumers to dispose of their unwanted tech and get rewarded for doing so – with £320 million paid out to date.

“It’s a key part of our sustainability strategy, where we’re helping people to live greener lives and supporting the circular economy so devices can be used again and again.”