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Sustainability Through Innovation: Phones Canada’s 2024 Report on Environmental Impact

Published December 2024

Introduction

At Phones Canada, sustainability has always been at the heart of our operations. In 2024, we took bold steps to enhance our environmental impact by transitioning to new global partnerships, leveraging AI to reduce waste, and empowering individuals to repair their devices. This report highlights the progress we’ve made, the lessons we’ve learned, and our ongoing commitment to building a more sustainable future.

Ending Refurbishment for a Better Tomorrow

After years of refurbishing devices in Canada, we faced challenges that forced us to reconsider our approach. Rising inflation, increased taxes, and the limited availability of resources made refurbishing economically unsustainable. Additionally, many devices we processed were beyond economical repair, leading to excessive waste.

Transitioning to Global Partnerships

In 2024, we transitioned from refurbishing operations to building partnerships with recycling leaders in Hong Kong and Dubai. These partners operate with 1/5 of the cost of our previous refurbishing efforts while generating significantly less waste due to their access to advanced resources and repair capabilities.

  • Cost-Effectiveness: Reduced costs allow us to allocate resources to more impactful initiatives.
  • Waste Reduction: Advanced resources minimize e-waste during the refurbishment process.
  • Global Collaboration: Partnerships enable scalable and efficient sustainability efforts.

 

Making a Global Impact with Recycled Tablets

Over the last 10 years, Phones Canada has helped 100,000 recycled tablets find new homes in under-resourced communities. These tablets have been distributed to schools, families, and organizations in third-world countries, providing essential tools for:

  • Education: Enabling students to access digital learning resources.
  • Communication: Connecting families and communities to vital information and services.
  • Sustainability: Preventing these devices from entering landfills and reducing e-waste.

 

AI-Powered Efficiency in Warehousing

To improve sustainability within our operations, we implemented an AI-driven smart warehouse management system in 2024. This system optimizes energy use by controlling lighting, heating, cooling, and ventilation, ensuring no energy is wasted.

Key Outcomes

  • Energy Optimization: AI ensures only essential systems are active, minimizing energy waste.
  • Carbon Footprint Reduction: Overall energy consumption reduced by 23%.
  • Sustainability Leadership: Leveraging AI technology reinforces our position as an industry leader in sustainable practices.

 

Empowering Repairs with AI

AI Repair Assistant
DIY repair enthusiasts can fix devices with step-by-step guidance from our AI-powered tool.

Another major step forward in 2024 was the launch of our AI-powered repair assistant on parts.phonescanada.com. This innovative tool empowers users to repair devices themselves, significantly reducing e-waste.

Features of the Repair Assistant

  • Step-by-Step Instructions: Easy-to-follow repair guides for all major device models.
  • Live Q&A Support: Interactive troubleshooting assistance for complex issues.
  • Part Matching: AI recommendations for compatible parts to simplify the repair process.

 

Impact: Thousands of devices have been repaired by DIY enthusiasts using this tool, preventing them from entering landfills. In 2025, we aim to expand this tool to support even more devices and repair scenarios.

 

Looking Ahead

Our 2024 sustainability efforts mark the beginning of a new era at Phones Canada. As we continue to collaborate with global partners, leverage AI technologies, and support a circular economy, we remain committed to reducing e-waste and helping build a more sustainable future.

We have the best practices in workmanship. We strive to achieve the highest in quality in order to receive the maximum return from recycled devices.

After learning about the impact of smartphones on gorillas, we as a company decided to adopt one for every month we remain in business.

Keeping in mind the impact on our environment, we decided to offset our carbon footprint by planting a tree for every phone we sell.