Back Market Launched Campaign on Smartphone Material Costs
The company aims to highlight extraction impacts through its new Mine My Phone initiative.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Consumer Electronics
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Should governments pass laws requiring smartphones to remain durable and software-supported for 10 years?
Back Market has launched the Mine My Phone campaign to expose the significant raw material extraction required for smartphone production. The initiative promotes a 10-year device lifespan standard to reduce the environmental and human costs associated with tech manufacturing.
Why it matters
Back Market argues the current tech consumption model is unsustainable, noting that a single 200-gram smartphone requires 266 kilograms of raw material extraction. By advocating for 10-year device longevity, the company seeks to mitigate the immense geopolitical and environmental burdens of annual device manufacturing.
Global smartphone production consumes 319 million tonnes of raw materials annually. Keeping a device for 10 years instead of 2.5 years saves 757 kilograms of raw material extraction, while choosing refurbished devices avoids 243 kilograms.
The players
Back Market
This company operates a global marketplace that specializes in the sale of refurbished electronic devices.
Ian Umeh
He is an artist commissioned to create sculptures that visualize the physical material weight of smartphones.
Pattie Gonia
They are a prominent environmental activist who participated in the campaign's activation in New York.
The details
Artist Ian Umeh created three Heavy Phone sculptures to illustrate the hidden material weight of devices, which were installed in New York during Climate Week. A recent survey across six countries found that while 66% of consumers support 10-year durability standards, over half cannot name a single raw material used in their phones.
Timeline
September 23, 2026: Pattie Gonia carried a Heavy Phone sculpture in Manhattan.
October 15, 2026: Back Market hosts its Slow Tech Summit in Paris.
The Tech Race
This proposal for a 10-year hardware and software support standard marks a departure from the traditional planned obsolescence model that has driven the consumer electronics industry for decades. It challenges manufacturers to pivot from high-volume production toward long-term device sustainability.
Consumers are encouraged to retain their devices for longer periods, which significantly reduces the material footprint of their personal technology. Increased demand for refurbished hardware can also lead to more cost-effective upgrade paths for users compared to purchasing new units.
The takeaway
Understanding the environmental cost of a smartphone can help consumers make more sustainable purchasing decisions. Opting for refurbished electronics significantly minimizes one's personal contribution to annual material extraction.
What happens next
Back Market plans to announce founding partners for its 10-year device standard at the Slow Tech Summit in Paris on October 15, 2026.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest innovations and environmental shifts in Consumer Electronics.
More information
Explore the full data on device material origins via the Mine My Phone campaign and research.
Live Poll
Should governments pass laws requiring smartphones to remain durable and software-supported for 10 years?
