How a robot recycles our electronic waste - BBC News

It’s estimated that the amount of e-waste generated last year was more than 57m tonnes.
Phone recycling is on the rise, but most handsets still end up in landfill sites, reports BBC technology programme Click.
The majority of modern smartphones contain about 30 elements, including rare earth materials such as gold and tin.
The World Economic Forum has warned that some elements could be completely depleted in 100 yeas.
Please subscribe HERE bit.ly/1rbfUog
#Recycling #Click #BBCNews

[@vinny5915]

If Apple really care, they would have not made it so difficult for us to use parts from a broken phone to fix another with software locks.

[@samsonsoturian6013]

If you really cared, you'd actually recycle.

[@Bean-cs6vm]

Yup. Apple is ridiculous when it comes to repair, I hate them for it.

[@Bean-cs6vm]

@@samsonsoturian6013 it’s better for already existing parts to be used with phones rather than using energy to process them into pure materials and then made into new products

[@Bruh-wb3qw]

I see that but why do you wanna fix near obsolete phones? Phones tend to have a 4-5 year life span. Id rather the iphones be near 100% recyclable and turn in my old one for a discounted new one every few years instead of having all that e-waste. I take care of my stuff so I’ve only ever broken an iphone once and it was after 4 years of having it. Edit: keep in mind that with apple care you can get broken iPhones replaced up to 2 years after purchase.

[@f.e.5691]

I don't know all the details, but software lock can prevent tampering the device or any other kind of physical attack to steal your data. We should also consider the security that the brand commits to

[@dwarfyuki]

The real amazing thing here is how this man has a more stable grip on his phone with no hands than most of us with two

[@on_spikes6867]

nah i dont think he does

[@two_tier_gary_rumain]

Let's see him call someone.

[@angel_withaflamethrower]

What happened to his hands? Poor guy :(

[@MoonThuli]

@@angel_withaflamethrower Some people just aren't born with any

[@RumblesBettr]

@@MoonThuli he stole

[@marygreen3529]

Wow. I was so pleased to see a reporter who is physically different than most. He did a great job! Good for BBC for being inclusive - hopefully not to meet some quota, but because the reporter was good!

[@two_tier_gary_rumain]

I'd like to see him using that phone he was holding.

[@abmong]

I like the term "alternately or differently abled". Yes it's refreshing to see.

[@paulcarter1546]

@@two_tier_gary_rumain hi Gary. I’m the reporter in this piece,. Would happily use my phone to call you - send me your number and I can explain in person all about my career

[@lwm2985]

He was excellent in my opinion. I'd subscribe to his KZbin.

[@AAAAAA-tj1nq]

lol BBC hired him because they want ratings to go up

[@joshi6898]

Respect to this guy he lost his limbs but he is actually doing a better job than me. Just inspire me to work harder and maybe smarter.

[@two_tier_gary_rumain]

He didn't loose his limbs. He looks to be born like that.

[@daveswarbrick5576]

So instead of repairing a perfectly good Iphone, apple lock them so you can't fit another part or you can't buy the part to repair them, a good phone that only needs a small repair goes to land fill and Apple get a new sale ! Right to repair, no chance with Apple ! just throw your phone away! perhaps the BBC should look into this and why Apple won't make parts available to 3rd party repairs.

[@satyasyasatyasya5746]

Wouldn't have to if planned-obsolescence wasn't a thing...

[@joermnyc]

So we need a John Delorean type to make a phone? Then again his solution was a car that cost ~$30k at the time most new cars were ~$5k-$8k.

[@SGNedtiz]

My mum bought a refurbished Iphone 6 back in 2018 for 200$ and its still going strong except for the broken home button and battery durability. After showing this to my mum she was disbelief saying that those phone have so much potential left but instead they were destroyed

[@emilyarchibald1900]

I'm still using a galaxy s8. It still works for me! I'll be using it as long as I can. The last time I upgraded was only because my old phone wasn't compatible with many newer apps.

[@Ass_of_Amalek]

I only just had to switch from using a ~7 year old ipod touch since I finally broke the screen on top of the second battery being long dead. I was hardly able to use any apps anymore, but the upside that I have now lost was that something about the OS or safari browser wasn't able to display ads on youtube, so I was using youtube completely ad-free. damn, those midrolls are annoying now! well, now I've got a new phone for 220€ that has 4 times the RAM of my 10 year old home computer. xD

[@fritzdeuces]

how old are you?

[@Onlyme.n.u]

I think all tech companies need to do that around the world, and not just Apple in US. This will solve many potential environmental challenges, environmental issues and perhaps create new jobs in the process.

[@MDSR17455]

This is a good invention and this way of recycling should be implemented to every electronic company in every country

[@cashewnuttel9054]

Somalia doesn't have any money for this.

[@MDSR17455]

Well I am sure the Somalian government will figure it out in the future

[@danielwhyatt3278]

Absolutely. The key would also be to apply this eventually to electric vehicles. That process will definitely have to be automated, as well as for scrapping old vehicles to get out the valuable materials.

[@MDSR17455]

@@danielwhyatt3278 agreed

[@danielwhyatt3278]

This is literally what I’ve wanted them to do in the first place, it looks like it’s funny coming to ahead. We need to actually have robots that can identify separate models of phones, tablets and other computers and deconstruct them from the panels, screws and components so they can be directly recycled rather than using the brute force scrapping/shredding and melting method. This’s the right step forward.

[@thePilotOfSkeld]

I feel empathy with that reporter with no arms

[@TheImperfectReader]

This is fantastic this makes me happy that we scrap everything we can and resale back to get materials back into the supply chain.

[@edh2246]

The cost of recycling should be included in the price, just as it is in automobile tires in the U.S.

[@attilaabonyi8879]

but that would discourage buyers from buying recycled products ?

[@katarzynamatracz4011]

then no one would want to buy recycled products

[@pereldh5741]

We haven’t even started this nightmare yet. Imagine ”old” EV’s in 10years. An environmental bomb, a nightmare.

[@samsonsoturian6013]

In Ghana they still do this by hand. Not much money in it, but it what gives the country access to the internet.

[@readthebible1958]

Great video sir. I only purchase refurbished iPhones and have never had a problem with any of them. Greetings from Reynosa, Mexico 🇲🇽

[@Peter_A1466]

And still they don't make parts available for component level repairs... Repair is a lot more sustainable than just recovering the expensive materials.

[@KJSvitko]

Everything needs to be made with recycling in mind.

[@zombl337og]

true dat

[@KJSvitko]

All new plastic products need to be made with 100% recycled materials. No new single use plastic products need to be made. Manufacturers need to use recycled materials so there is a market for these materials.

[@hamzasheikh1056]

Give that man a round of applause 🙏💯

[@wowJhil]

This, is only PR. Apple does not take responsibility. However, if governments and the people put enough emphasis on how important recycling is, then there is no technical limitation really to start recycling way more then we do today, which is basically nothing compared to the potential.

[@djtomoy]

2.4 million units a year is no where near enough!! These companies really need to change their business models if they want to be eco friendly, the idea that something as complicated and valuable as a smartphone is seen as a disposable commodity is really crazy. All those phones could likely be easily repaired and and used for much longer.

[@Zetornator]

How smart! Create a robot to recycle just their phone instead of allowing us to repair our own phones lmao... Best joke by apple!

[@Zetornator]

@@Die-Angst i am as negative as apple is when it comes to the right to repair.

[@AmericanWRITER09]

I’m so happy BBC that you let this man do this video. Makes me feel wonderful knowing some of us born different have a voice. Go BBC break the norms!

[@HomeToyTV]

Amazing technology

[@dannyboy4068]

I love it the robot recycle they need to have one of those in Africa they burn the phones out there destroying the environment it's just terrible they're burning the phones for the metal usually be looking for gold and copper so I hope they will have that robot soon enough out there

[@akram_gmr6721]

يا احمد يا حبيبي❤

[@Generalphoenix8438]

Honestly I dont get rid of my old stuff. I think if it still works do t get rid of it. But I do need a new phone so that's unfortunately a must. But I'm still keeping my old one for other uses. But the recycling system is a requirement for almost everything we do and making newer stuff with it. Too bad we cant just grow a phone. I'm looking at upcycled costume productions for some things but also using scraps and old shirts for stuffing to reduce the waste and landfill amount a little more. Hopefully my idea can be promoted more once I start .y costume business.

[@Generalphoenix8438]

@@Die-Angst true. I mainly use KZbin though for my music.

[@JohnSheppard92WasTakenThxYT]

The last sentence of this report is the most importent one, so I'm pretty unhappy it was only that one sentence. Apple only has this method because it is cheaper to get the materials out of the "old" phones than buying them new. If they'd actually care about reducing e-waste, they would make their phones repairable and not call them "end of life" when they are actually perfectly fine, but the unchangeable battery has died. A part that may cost 10-15€, that could very well extend the devices life by years. But Apple in their infinite wisdom have actually created many absolutly unnecessary steps in production an many horribly anti-consumer methods for their devices to actively make repairing them harder. That is what Apple is all about. Don't think for a second they would create something like this because they care about the environment or recycling. It is greed, nothing else. Sadly this report doesn't mention anything about this.

[@JohnSheppard92WasTakenThxYT]

@@Die-Angst There are a few things mixed together here, that I would like to adress. First you are correct, Apple isn't the only one doing this. Though the statement "android is no different" is technically not correct. Android is an Operating System, not a device manufacturer, which would be Google. And altough Google does make their own devices with the Pixel lineup, which are using at least some comparable tactics, though to my knowlegde not quite to the extent Apple is doing it, there is a key difference here. Android is an open Operating System, meaning, that you can technically install it on whichever device you want to, as long as it is compatible with it. That means that many different device manufacturers are able to create their own devices (as in the hardware), then take Android, install it on these devices and even change it somewhat to their needs, which many of the bigger companies do. So there is a seperation layer here. Android is build intentionally open, so it can be adapted to many different devices, therefore it is a bit harder to make software locks. Not impossible, but also way less economically sensible, because if your device dies, and you cannot repair it, it is possible for you to just buy another Android device from a different manufacturer and still have a somewhat similar experience, because the core Operating System is still the same. On the Apple side of things you have a single manufacturer (Apple) who also creates all the software for an entirely closed ecosystem of devices. That means, if you iPhone or iSomething breaks and you are not able to repair it (which they can easily control) you are very likely to just buy a newer version of your iSomething, because you may still have other iSomethings like an Apple Watch, iMac etc. and do not wish to break out of their ecosystem. So if your device dies, you are still likely to return to them to buy a new device, where as if your Samsung device breaks and you are very unhappy with the way you are being treated, you can just go and buy a Phone from Google or others. But you cannot buy an iPhone from someone else then Apple. Now I will never say, that Android therefore is inherently better, because it's not about that at all. A closed ecosystem controlled by a single company is bad for consumers. Apple can make the rules for all their devices without much fear of people running towards competitors, because of this closed ecosystem, and that includes the way they treat repairability. On the Android side of things you at least have options, that will (most likely) not ruin the ecosystem you are using. Granted, not everything about Android is better, but at least from a repairability standpoint and therefore looking at the e-waste problem, the more open nature of Android gives you more options. Adressing your problem with broken Android devices, yes, the manufacturers may not give you good options to repair your devices and that really sucks, but what you can do is using repair guides like for example iFixit provides to change out specific components of your devices like screens, batteries etc. yourself. You could for example get a cheap broken device from ebay and repair yours with parts from that. With Apple devices this is not possible, because they block these new components through software even though they work perfectly fine, therefore creating e-waste from working devices, just because they'd rather sell you a new one outright.

[@JohnSheppard92WasTakenThxYT]

@@Die-Angst unfortunately yes 😅

[@dheck8887]

The iPhone 6 was the only phone I got when it came out and it lasted me so long that I only upgraded to the 8+ in 2020. Apple must hate me as a customer

[@truthbomb4775]

Planned obsolescence is the major contributor to e-waste. Gotta sell that new model every year. I’d be happy to use my existing phone for the next 10 years, but it won’t last that long.

[@M6Repairs]

There is company called Recyclepro you can use in the uk to recycle your old devices

[@kazuma_photo]

It's amazing how robots can recycle dangerous things!

[@ahmedullah8166]

তোমাদের মনে রাখতে হবে পৃথিবীতেই তোমাদের শেষ নয়। সামনে অন্য দুনিয়া আছে সেখানে ভালো থাকতে হলে নৈতিক ভাবে নিজেদের উন্নত করতে হবে।

[@ellis777777]

every manufacturer should be mandatory required by law to recycle their products . don't product if it cannot be recycled

[@cvrajendra]

DfR Design for Recycling is the next big thing

[@janiekcarney5482]

That sounds great.

[@theraven26780]

Paul, that was a great video sir!

[@kirishima638]

‘Where they are sorted by a human…’ So all it really does it remove the screen, battery and components. But you still need some poor sod to painstakingly sift though components and take them apart further?! That’s not a solution, Apple.

[@giglioflex]

Apple created a problem and a solution essentially. If their phones were easy to take apart it would be a non-issue.

[@cameronclarke7028]

This was so cool!

[@aarononeal9830]

Please talk about Ecosia they are a search engine that plants trees

[@patrickbuswell]

Excellent presenter! Thank you

[@sonny5068]

This is so interesting!

[@jaykrish2808]

The preprogrammed obsolescence of phones, iPads, laptops is the real cause. It’s atrocious that we can’t use an old model because you can’t change your battery or upgrade the software.

[@ericastones1052]

I am glad this has been happening to my old phones after I sent them to be recycled.

[@gonnabeok]

There's no greater hypocrite than Apple when it comes to ecology and sustainable development...

[@CaribbeanCarnivals365]

Why speak about reducing e-waste without mentioning companies like apple and Samsung purposefully make their products obsolete to encourage sale of new ones while do things like refuse to include chargers and claim that's being done to reduce so called e-waste

[@moosesnWoop]

"a robot" is a nice way of saying Bangladeshi

[@louise9973]

Awesome, now we just need a million Daisy's world wide.

[@SB-sh4oe]

This should be done with all products we consume.

[@SB-sh4oe]

@@Die-Angst Indeed. Producers have to make them recyclable. It might take time though and that is a pity.

[@SB-sh4oe]

@@Die-Angst There are washable baby diapers. More and more people are using them. They can be washed at 90deg Celsius in a washing machine. They are not recyclable, but they are not a one time use.

[@channelfeedtv5265]

It would be great if collectively, hobbyists could develop an open hardware, free software phone that is repairable. Then we wouldn’t have to concern ourselves with recycling perfectly good phones, and could limit the recycling to phones that are actually at end of life…

[@wowJhil]

The problem is that 1) companies like Apple do not build phones to last long time, 2) older phones that can survive very long time is not used because people want the latest in tech and 3) phones like Apple nowadays is surely not a commodity but an accessory and often something to show off. Essentially, Apple phones are just like fast fashion, contributing to overconsumption not because there is a need but because there is a fashion trade and press on certain people to have the latest. Only way to handle this in a sustainable way is for governments to start demanding more adaptations that make recycling a real thing and not like hear, a PR only!

[@channelfeedtv5265]

@@wowJhil Indeed, I agree

[@fritzdeuces]

@@channelfeedtv5265 There is already a company working on that. It actually went viral here on youtube. The whole thing is made up of modules. Pretty sure u have heard about it but your mind forgot about it and now is reproducing it as an original thought.

[@mazo691]

Super! I would like to think that Tesla, Ford, GM, Redwood Materials, etc. are paying attention to the Apple case as we (global society) move forward into battery and other sustainable technologies.

[@cyankirkpatrick5194]

Good idea, but why not do this for everyday batteries,car/ truck tires / batteries and car oil, then I'll be impressed.

[@jaughnekow]

Interesting. This is why I wish electric devices are upgraded at most every 5 to 7 years

[@pixelking_871]

Yet we still getting charged a $1200 for recycled materials

[@jaughnekow]

@@pixelking_871 marketing strategy.

[@pixelking_871]

@@jaughnekow yea we need as consumers need to start pushing back and start making it so every company manufacturers and allow us to upgrade every 3 - 4 years now we just got the New Pixel 6 Pro Oct, New iPhone 13 Oct, and Galaxy s22 Ultra last year its like we don't even use them enough to keep getting the software upgrades anymore only 7 months then a new phone when nothing is really improving

[@dannyboy4068]

I understand when you coming from but then I'll be going crazy

[@pixelking_871]

@Gavin Gas what's a legitimate reason to upgrade anymore the only reason for the newer colors now literally

[@notaone-also]

I don't know, maybe it's just me but... the best way to cut down on e-wast could lie with making items that have a longer life span than what we seem to have today, that is until the next latest and greatest upgrade comes out that we just have to have to stay relevant!!

[@rebeccahenderson7761]

Too little too late Apple, you knew a long time ago what the impact on us would be.

[@lowket]

Correction on the rare earth metals: in 100 years, 98% of the land-found rare metals are depleted. That same amount of 98% can be found in just 1% of the ocean's floor. The future is awesome!!

[@paramsingh1811]

We Love 🇳🇱 Nederland ❤️

[@2TONESKY]

If there's more recycled materials than ever, why do I still have to decide between a new car or a new phone? I used to be able to afford both 🤪

[@Joe-li3zj]

“Most sustainable solution of all would be to reduce the volume of ewaste we create in the first place.” 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@JessicaZane4realz]

I need a robot that will recycle turds my dog makes in the yard.

[@druunderwood5602]

Ro-Jaws.

[@beyondfossil]

Good video. Looks promising! Use technology to solve technology related problems! At 2:56 its really worth highlighting that 1-ton of old electronics parts would contain the same amount of recyclable materials to mining 2000-tons of raw material! Another related item is photovoltaic solar panels. Solar panels are larger in size but benefit from being a lot simpler (more homogenous) in construction than most consumer electronics. Consumer electronics contains various circuit boards, wiring, glass, plastics, labeling, adhesives, various metal alloys all jumbled together. I am confident such robotic techniques will help with recycling a lot of solar panels eventually coming due and get the same economic and environmental benefits. The worrisome bit, as we've seen with climate change, is we humans don't take action until the situation starts getting painful. But eventually we come around to it!

[@public.public]

Apple design their products so they cannot be repaired. Get rid of designed redundancy and that would get rid of a huge amount of pollution and waste.

[@svetlanabekhtereva651]

Superb.

[@adriennefried5368]

AI is the future of manufacturing and many other aspects of our productivity eliminating need for low levels of the labor markets...

[@joanyoon4672]

Similar waste problem is taking place with solar energy and wind energy. We need to revisit nuclear energy where the waste problem is much less compared to that of other type of renewable energy waste. Check out numerous Ted talks on weighing on the pros and cons of the nuclear energy.

[@deckape69]

Well the recliners are the owners of all the electronic waste not us, the BBC calls it our electronic waste and its not. Like your garbage, the garbage company became the owner once they pick it up and you paid the fee, not our problem once they take it, its all theirs...

[@joanyoon4672]

@@deckape69 The problem is that the unchecked and unmanaged waste problems will come back and haunt us making us less healthy later while the politicians sing the same old song like, "Yes, we have known it all along that this will happen. So, let's see how we can bribe the STEM communities and corporations to solve this issue" while we are still stuck in the same old same old in greed bondage like looking at a dog chasing its tail.

[@deckape69]

@@joanyoon4672 No, the elected are there to vote on what contractor will city funds. They set the terms and conditions for the recyclers "contract". All I can do is put my trash at the street pay the fee for trash pick up, once picked up, it all belongs to the corporation that the city has a contract with and its all their responsibility not mine, not yours, theirs.

[@ktefccre]

I am all for market freedom to encourage innovation and such but as a short term solution, maybe we can legislate manufacturers to make phones easier to recycle?

[@yaiphuakhakpa227]

Recycling. Apple never do anything other than earn more money. I really don't think they are recycling faulty devices but only outdated (no more support phones)

[@sharkmana]

“She can do 2.4 million units a year”. Now google how many iPhones Apple sells a year. Daisy breaks down to help recycle less than 1% of what is sold.

[@Ragdoll00]

How do people even make ewaste? I dont think ive ever thrown away an electronic item. I either keep it or recycle it, would never just throw it away

[@piggybaggy242]

+rep to reporter!! Soory forgot to say, samsung is much better tho

[@Bean-cs6vm]

Or you could take them to a phone repair shop, like mine :), and I’ll use the parts for other phones or create them into new things

[@mikkelhirslund9017]

I know people are taller in the Netherlands, however she looks like a giant! 🥹

[@chanthywalkabout]

I love iPhone ❤️

[@dannyboy4068]

Me too which one you love what model

[@chanthywalkabout]

@@dannyboy4068 always new molded but no money to buy it 😀😂❤️too expensive for me in Cambodia 🇰🇭

[@dannyboy4068]

@@chanthywalkabout I'm from New York City they're not that expensive out here

[@chanthywalkabout]

@@dannyboy4068 that good for you dear

[@dannyboy4068]

@@chanthywalkabout you right

[@Qwertyytrwq92]

The ability to efficiently recycle the phone has to begin with the design of the phone and not the recycling process-I wonder what components are not needed, can be made of something else or another component could be accessed somewhere else aside from the phone itself... Is it possible to design the phone for easy disassembly? Why or why not?

[@Mo.Jo.]

This seems like more of an AD for apple to assure us they're doing their part for the planet. I would like to see what the short comings are of this. So we're not all thinking life is peachy when things still need to be worked out.

[@giglioflex]

The downsides would be the energy costs and the fact that materials are not infinitely recyclable. Each time something is recycled the quality of the material degrades.

[@kuztomix]

3:24 this...for sure

[@SahaRetreats]

That’s amazing how robots just get on with it.

[@87lamar87]

Can we get a 2023-24 follow up on this initiative?

[@just_chris1630]

Why is it in a secret location?

[@nuriyamamoiez1162]

How is school very important for human beings life, with school we can knowledge everything

[@perryturner6343]

Great technology and design has gone this far!

[@zainulrahman4428]

LABBAIk YA RASOOLALLAH TAJDAR E KHATAM E NABUWAT Sallalahu alaihi waalihi wassalam zindaabad zindaabad please

[@44Mat]

#E-Waste #TradeIns I was looking for Samsung and Apple Ai Photo editors while taking actual photos (Ai Camera picture qualitizer/ equalizer). And just found out that the Samsung S Series numbers actually have sense and meaning behind them with each representing the year each model was released was asking my self from the S3 how did we get to S24 so quickly FUN FACT (chappies): Galaxy S =2010-Jun-4 Galaxy S II=2011-May-2 Galaxy S III=2012-May-29 Galaxy S4=2013-Apr-27 Galaxy S5=2014-Apr-11 Galaxy S6=2015-Apr-10 Galaxy S7=2016-Mar-11 Galaxy S8=2017-Apr-21 Galaxy S9=2018-Mar-11 Galaxy S10=2019-Mar-4 Galaxy S20=2020-Mar-6 Galaxy S21=2021-Jan-29 Galaxy S22=2022-Feb-25 Galaxy S23=2023-Feb-17 Galaxy S24=2024-Jan-31 #E-Waste Incentives and subsidies (carrots) or taxes (sticks) need to be implemented like the Car battery industry (since the phones have batteries) BRING in OLD MODEL discounted on NEW MODEL

[@lawrenceanthony8468]

This is why I switched to Samsung !

[@888ssss]

how about no house, no work ?

[@koda3967]

If it can deconstruct it in less than a minute, you *know* it can re-construct it in less than a minute. We need products that last longer than our attention span; that is where true ecological responsibility begins. A cell phone should, by now, be lasting anywhere from 10-20 YEARS before we need to upgrade. 🤔

[@卢军宏台长心灵法-u3d]

Learn to adjust your mentality and avoid worrying your parents by sharing your stress with them. Practise filial piety by easing their minds and taking responsibility for your own karma and your lives.

[@71518]

How a robot give us a lot of money at cost reclycing people xD

[@literature5344]

Future!

[@public.public]

Apple design their products so they cannot be repaired. Get rid of designed redundancy and that would get rid of a huge amount of pollution and waste.

[@elveheim]

Smart

[@ebowles181]

Doesn't it take those same materials to make the robot. So are you even breaking even or are you making a net loss?

[@xanderzion2394]

I dont care about electronic waste as much but the way bbc using amputee people as their reporter yeah that is what I want to see.

[@PaulGrayUK]

The BBC should take charge of recycling as they recycle the news so well. 🤣

[@fatman2407]

look at those ugly phones without earphone jacks

[@prfwrx2497]

Apple will build a damn robot that can strip an iPhone, but still won't let you replace your own parts with ease and transparency.

[@fightington]

Nice greenwash statement from the marketing lady - this is a step in right direction but they cause these problems so lets not get all pat humanity on the back because of a prototype that can scrap less that the company makes by orders of magnitude etc

[@BulbulIslam-GEN-Z]

Comments can never stop Destination....

[@funfun16]

Daisy 💯