London-based technology company Nothing Tech, recently published its new sustainability report for its latest flagship smartphone, the Nothing Phone (2). With a focus on recycled materials, renewable energy and plastic-free packaging, Phone (2) achieves stronger sustainability targets than its predecessor. It is designed to be one of the most sustainable smartphones on the market, a testament to the brand’s commitment to the environment.
Akis Evangelidis, Nothing’s co-founder, said: “We are proud to unveil the new sustainability report for Phone (2), which showcases our company’s commitment to a greener future. Sustainability has been a driving force behind all our products since Day 1. Phone (2) marks a new milestone for us as our first second-generation product with a lower carbon footprint than its predecessor. This report details all our sustainability initiatives, how we champion eco-friendly materials, and our aim to initiate industry-wide change.”
The Nothing Phone (2) comprises 53 parts that are made with bio-based or recycled materials such as plastic, copper, tin, aluminum and steel, which makes up 20 percent of the phone’s overall weight. Eighty percent of the plastic parts found on the phone are made from recycled and bio-based materials, while 90 percent of recycled steel is used for 28 stamping parts. The midframe, power button and volume buttons are made with 100 percent recycled aluminum while the foil used on the main circuit board is from 100 percent recycled copper. The Nothing Phone (2) also has nine circuit boards, which are manufactured from 100 percent recycled tin.
The Nothing Phone (2) also has a sustainable manufacturing process, as the final assembly plant and recycled aluminum production plants are powered by 100 percent renewable energy. The final assembly process also leaves zero landfill.
The phone also brings sustainability into its packaging, opting for a plastic-free solution. The new flagship eliminates laminating films for the outer box, labels and wire cards. Once users open the box, they will notice that the phone itself is wrapped in parchment paper, a step aside from the usual PLA plastic film seen with most smartphones. Paper tape is also used as a sustainable alternative for plastic tape for the bonding of the inner box, while paper is also used instead of PET for tear strips.
The Nothing Phone (2) also comes with an FSC Mix label, which signifies the mixture of materials in the packaging are from FSC-certified responsibly managed forests, recycled materials and/or controlled wood.
The phone further reduces the carbon footprint in comparison to its predecessor, with a total carbon footprint of 53.45 kg CO2e, which is 8 percent less than the Nothing Phone (1). The brand has achieved this by using carbon life-cycle assessments to identify how to decrease greenhouse gas emissions from their products. This method also helps to find renewable or recycled materials and sustainable energy sources for production, all done with a fixed goal of reducing environmental impact.
