Every year on October 14th, International E-Waste Day serves as a global reminder of the growing electronic waste (e-waste) crisis. This day isn’t just about raising awareness; it’s a call to action for all of us to contribute to a more sustainable future. At Piceasoft, we’re committed to turning this global challenge into an opportunity for positive change. By providing innovative software solutions, we empower businesses to create new services and business opportunities while extending the lifecycle of mobile devices. From repair to recycling, we help reduce e-waste and lead the way to a more positive environmental impact.
Understanding E-waste
What exactly is e-waste? It refers to discarded electrical and electronic equipment, from smartphones and computers to household appliances, that often end up cluttering our drawers or landfills.
According to the Global E-Waste Monitor, a staggering 62 million tonnes of e-waste was generated in 2022, and projections suggest this could soar to 82 million tonnes by 2030. But the real issue goes beyond sheer volume.
When e-waste isn’t properly disposed of, harmful substances like lead and mercury can leak into the environment, posing severe health risks to communities and wasting billions of dollars’ worth of recoverable materials. In 2022, only 22.3% of e-waste was responsibly recycled.
The smartphone E-waste problem
Smartphones are estimated to represent about 10% of all global e-waste, a significant figure given that there are about 6.8 billion smartphone users worldwide. Over 5 billion mobile phones were expected to be thrown away in 2022 alone, highlighting the critical need to address this issue.
The impact of discarded smartphones goes beyond filling up landfills; improper disposal leads to severe environmental damage. Toxic substances can leach out, contaminating the environment. Moreover, the economic loss is substantial. Smartphones contain raw materials worth about $57 billion (as of 2019), yet only 17% of all e-waste was properly recycled that year.
Unused devices represent a missed opportunity for the circular economy. These devices could be traded in, repaired, or properly recycled, benefiting consumers, businesses, and the environment.
Powering the circular economy for mobile devices
Piceasoft plays a vital role in addressing the e-waste challenge through its innovative solutions designed to extend the lifecycle of mobile devices. By offering businesses solutions to create trade-in, repair, and recycling services, we empower the industry to slow down and reverse the tide of e-waste.
- Picea® Online is an all-in-one platform for offering trade-in, support, and repair services. With extensive customization capabilities, it’s ideal for large operators and retail stores looking to provide trade-in services, boosting value and trust with guaranteed and competitive trade-in prices.
- Picea® Services is an application that provides value-added services at the point of sale and repair. Suitable for businesses of all sizes, it features automatic mobile device detection, diagnostics, data transfer, and secure erasure, increasing trust in device support, repair, and recycling.
- Picea® Volume streamlines mobile device recycling by offering automatic device detection, diagnostics, and secure erasure in one user-friendly flow. Targeted at ITADs, warehouses, and mobile device processors, it enables efficient simultaneous processing of multiple devices.
By partnering with Piceasoft, businesses can create new service opportunities while actively addressing the e-waste challenge and reshaping how consumers view and manage their devices.
With Piceasoft, the future is not just cleaner but smarter.
To explore how our solutions can help extend the device lifecycle and benefit your business, fill out the Demo Request Form and contact us today.
About Piceasoft
Located in Tampere, Finland, and founded in 2012, Piceasoft creates new business opportunities within the mobile device circular economy. Our ever-expanding platform and ecosystem powers companies at all levels to offer mobile device trade-in, support, repair, and recycling services. Working with customers and partners in over 70 countries, our platform provides a single solution for businesses to introduce new services and revenue streams while reducing e-waste and promoting sustainability.