Switch to universal charger is on track and will cut down energy consumption, e-waste
Serene Luo, Straits Times 24 Oct 09;
THE dream of a one-size-fits-all cellphone charger is no longer just wishful thinking.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the technology arm of the United Nations, has just given its stamp of approval for a universal charger system that will allow mobile phone users to juice up their devices from any available charger, regardless of manufacturer or make. The move will 'dramatically cut the number of chargers produced, shipped and subsequently discarded as new models become available' because new phones can still use existing chargers, a statement from the ITU said.
As it is now, new phone chargers are packaged with every new handset. Consumers are thus likely to have a drawer of unused chargers collecting dust, as many people in countries like Singapore change cellphones every year or so.
Each manufacturer has its own proprietary charger design, and different models require different chargers now.
Electronic waste now makes up 5 per cent of all solid waste worldwide - and mobile phones and computers are the biggest culprits because they are replaced most frequently, said Greenpeace International, a global organisation that campaigns against environment degradation.
Between 30 million and 50 million tonnes of such e-waste are discarded yearly worldwide.
Chargers using the new Universal Charging Solution, or UCS, are also three times more energy efficient than unrated chargers.
The switch to a universal charger is likely to halve standby energy consumption and reduce redundant chargers by 51,000 tonnes a year, the GSM Association predicted. The change will also cut annual greenhouse gas emissions by 13.6 million tonnes.
The move, proposed by the GSM Association in February, is supported by leading phone manufacturers like Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson, as well as carriers like NTT DoCoMo, AT&T and Vodafone.
Cellphones which use universal chargers are expected to start appearing next year and go mainstream by 2012. They will have micro USB ports, like those now on digital cameras and music players.
Nokia spokesman Francis Cheong told The Straits Times it had piloted a programme in Europe where people could choose to buy phones without the chargers. 'We are also surveying consumers to see if more people would like this choice,' he said.
Technology consultancy Ovum's senior analyst Emeka Obiodu said 'once UCS reaches a critical mass in circulation after 2012, the industry should stop shipping a new charger with every new phone. That would save over 500 million new chargers that would have been manufactured', he said.
One Size Fits All Phone Chargers On The Way
Nicola Leske, PlanetArk 23 Oct 09;
FRANKFURT - Ever forget your phone charger and no one around has the same kind of handset?
Have a drawer full of useless old phone chargers at home?
Breathe a sigh of relief.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations' telecom arm, said on Thursday it had given its stamp of approval "to an energy-efficient one-charger-fits-all new mobile phone solution.
"Every mobile phone user will benefit from the new Universal Charging Solution (UCS), which enables the same charger to be used for all future handsets, regardless of make and model," the ITU said in a statement.
"Some manufacturers are already incorporating the UCS in their devices," an ITU spokesman said.
The association hopes a universal charger will help reduce waste by cutting down on the number of chargers produced and then thrown away with the purchase of a new handset.
There are already more than 4 billion mobile phone subscriptions around the world.
In June, top mobile phone suppliers such as Nokia, Sony Ericsson and other industry majors agreed to back an EU-wide harmonization of phone chargers, which means phones compatible with standard charging devices are available in Europe from next year.
The EU estimates unwanted phone accessories account for thousands of tons of waste in Europe each year.
Now, if only they could come up with a single plug.
(Editing by Michael Shields and Dan Lalor)
