Sustainable Mobile Phone Waste Management: Behavioral Insights and Educational Interventions Through a University-Wide Survey

Abstract

Mobile phone waste management is a growing environmental challenge, with improper disposal contributing to resource depletion, pollution and missed opportunities for material recovery. This study presents the findings of a dual-purpose survey (11,163 respondents) conducted in a wide academic context in Italy, aimed at both assessing mobile phones disposal behaviors and knowledge and raising awareness through structured educational prompts about sustainable e-waste management. The results reveal significant behavioral patterns and knowledge gaps across demographic groups. While most respondents (90.6%) own one phone, males tend to have more than females. Phones are replaced every 3–5 years by 48.8% of users and every 1–3 years by 36.7%, with students tending to replace them earlier. Only 20.2% replace their phone when irreparable while 46% replace them due to high repair costs. A large majority (92.3%) store old devices at home, forming an estimated urban mine of 29,799 unused phones. The awareness of hazardous components is higher than that of critical raw materials, with males more informed than females and students in scientific fields displaying greater awareness than those in humanities and health disciplines. The awareness of official take-back programs is particularly low, especially among younger generations. Notably, 90% reported increased awareness from the educational survey and 93.1% expressed willingness to use an on-campus e-waste collection system. These results highlight the role of universities as catalysts for sustainable behavior, supporting the design of targeted educational strategies and policy actions in line with circular economy principles and Sustainable Development Goal 12 “Responsible consumption and production”.