The EU’s new universal charger policy claims to tackle e-waste — will it?
by Justine Calma from The Verge - All Posts on (#6052T)
Charging cables for different mobile phone models. | Photo by Jens Buttner/picture alliance via Getty Images Slashing e-waste was a major driver in European Union lawmakers' proposal yesterday to mandate a universal charger for mobile phones and other devices. But there are still a lot of other factors that have to come together for the measure to make a meaningful difference in the world's e-waste problem.
Piled together, unused and discarded chargers add up to about 11,000 metric tons of e-waste in Europe annually, according to the European Parliament. They're hoping to shrink that pile by eliminating the need for different chargers for different devices - so in just a couple years, most new mobile phones will likely need to come with a USB-C charging port to be sold in the EU. Making the switch to USB-C will ultimately help consumers save...