In 2021, nearly one in five mobile phones sold was refurbished. That’s 17% of sales. Although buying second-hand products represents a real financial advantage for consumers. Consuming on the second-hand market is nevertheless a militant act in favour of the circular economy.

But then, do refurbished phones emit more waves than new products?

What are the waves ? 

The waves emitted by phones are electromagnetic radiation. It is the combination of an electric field and a magnetic field that propagates in the environment. At the end of the race, they are intended to reach radio receivers, cellular reception antennas, television receivers, etc.

Why do some devices emit more waves than others?

A used smartphone does not emit more waves 

UFC Que Choisir conducted its study on 12 refurbished smartphones from different retailers. Two models have been selected iPhone 11 and Galaxy S9. They were sent to the laboratory to measure their Specific Absorption Rate head and limbs. SAR is a portion of the energy carried by electromagnetic waves that are absorbed by the human body. The objective of the operation is to know if the first life of the devices and therefore the change of certain parts and components could have an impact on the emission. It is questionable whether such modifications to a device would require it to transmit more waves to connect to the network.

Result: the reconditioned mobiles tested did not emit more waves than new products. Moreover, they all revealed SAR below the regulatory limit. 

Are waves dangerous to health?
The "Interphone" study conducted in 2019 on more than 10,000 people highlights an increased risk of brain cancer, the higher the use of mobile.

However, the investigation does not take into account the conditions of use of the devices. Yet simple gestures can be adopted to reduce the contact with the waves of our phones. For example, the use of headphones should be encouraged during a telephone conversation. Reduce too close contact with your device by leaving it more than 10cm from you. Truncate calls when moving on a train or car. Ditto for those passed from a place that poorly captures, such as in a house with thick walls or in a basement. It is during these moments that the mobiles, new or reconditioned, heat up the most, that the battery is more stressed and therefore they emit the most waves to function properly. 

New research is underway to analyze the effect of waves on the long term. They are performed on populations throughout their lives to see if the incidence between waves and brain cancers is real.

Tests and controls on refurbished mobile phones 

Before being reconditioned, a mobile lived a first life. Before launching on the market of the reconditioned, a smartphone must undergo many tests to bring it possible repairs. The purpose of the operation is to get as close as possible to a new product. No less than 30 control points can then certify that the device complies with a re-sale.

The phones are also graded according to precise and realistic criteria quickly giving an idea of the aesthetic state of the device. Under no circumstances does a rank judge the technical or functional aspect of the material. At Dipli, we have developed our own grades according to our specifications to provide consistent quality and verified traceability regardless of where the stock comes from.

And finally, in order to ensure the security of all, the complete erasure of the data present on the mobiles is carried out. This is an essential step that is carried out by our partners and managed via software compliant with the European Data Protection and Privacy Regulation (GDPR): Blancco, NSYS Group, Piceasoft, etc.

The reconditioned: an economic and ecological impact

More than 7 in 10 French people are ready to give up new products. The reuse market is on the rise and this is good news. The sale of refurbished smartphones. They alone account for almost 60% of the demand for used products.

Buying a refurbished phone is choosing an economical formula. With a discount of 20 to 50% compared to a new product, the average price of a second-hand smartphone averages 240€. 

Beyond the financial aspect, the purchase of second hand, allows an annual environmental impact reduction of 55% to 91% according to the indicators compared to the use of a new smartphone. 82kg of raw materials will be preserved and 25kg of GHG per year of use. In 2020, with sales estimated at 2.8 million units, this would amount to savings of approximately 229,000 tonnes of raw materials and 70,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

When we know that the average life of a smartphone is between 2 and 3 years, while its production requires more than 50 different materials and the extraction of more than 20kg of materials, Turning to second-hand equipment is a strong message to extend the life and amortize the environmental cost of their production.
The investigation by l'UFC Que Choisir, reveals that refurbished mobiles do not emit more waves. Those that are emitted remain within the authorized regulatory limit. According to the association, "this is one more reason to consider the second hand as an interesting prospect for your next purchase".

However, as we have seen previously, given the risks that waves can present on health, it is necessary to remember that a reasoned use of your smartphone is to be preferred in order to limit the contact with the waves.