Why the Lumia 820 is our new eco-hero

Nokia has recently been recognised as the greenest manufacturer in the telecoms sector, according to Newsweek’s Green Rankings. Of course, it’s by no means the first such award, with the company’s sustainability record receiving plaudits from the likes of Greenpeace, the Dow Jones and CDP in recent years.

Almost every component of a Nokia mobile phone, at every stage in its lifecycle, is affected by the company’s commitment to delivering greener products.

We asked Nokia’s Arja Mehtälä to talk us through the Lumia 820, and the ingredients that make it a worthy eco hero.

Materials

The story here is as much about what doesn’t go into the phone as what does. Thanks to a full material declaration, we know exactly which substances our devices contain. Restricted materials are named in our Substance List and Nokia doesn’t use materials containing PVC, BFR or RFRs; and they are free of nickel on the product surface.

On the other hand, we do use recycled metals for some of the internal components and also bioplastics, which are refined from non-edible plants rather than fossil sources.

Manufacturing

As the diagram below shows, component manufacture and raw materials together account for the biggest part of the environmental impact of a mobile phone, so any improvements here are very important:

It also underlines the importance of recycling. The more materials that can be recovered from old products, the less needs to be created from scratch.

A further consideration is that a smartphone can take the place of multiple devices, such as a camera, camcorder, GPS, music player and more. Additional devices for these individual functions are no longer a necessity and so raw materials can be saved and extra component creation is unneeded.

Eco-content and services

We’d draw particular attention to our Location services here. Nokia Transport encourages the use of public transportation; Nokia Maps helps with pedestrian and cycling navigation, while Nokia Drive ensures that if you do need to take a car, then you get to your location as quickly as possible. Also look out for Nokia’s Climate Mission 3D in the Store, which delivers a better understanding of the environment in a fun way.

Charging and efficiency

The Lumia 820, as with all Nokia Lumia phones, has a battery saver feature and automatic brightness adjustment for a longer time between charges, in addition to the efficient Snapdragon processor from Qualcomm. Our 5-star chargers have been refined to work efficiently and only draw a minimal amount of power when they’re idle.

Recycling

Every part of the Lumia 820 can be recovered, either into materials or energy. We also actively encourage customers to turn in retired Nokia phones to Care Points where they can be sent for recycling.

Packaging

The size of our boxes has shrunk in recent years. This is important in terms of using less material, but also in terms of fitting more phones onto every palette, so that fewer truck journeys are required for deliveries across the world. It’s also worth noting that we’ve reduced the amount of materials inside the box, and that the cardboard itself contains both recycled fibres or comes from wood in certified forests.

Of course, we realise that all customers won’t necessarily buy the Lumia 820 because it’s eco-friendly. It will be for the generous screen, powerful performance and beautiful design. But it’s great to know that while you’re enjoying all those things, you’ve also made a choice that benefits the planet.

Check out the phone’s eco-profile to learn more about the Lumia 820’s credentials.