I just had an exclusive look at Fairphone’s report on the environmental impact of phones — it’s left me shocked

Despite smartphones from the likes of Apple and Samsung being made with significant amounts of recycled materials, the manufacturing of phones still has a dramatic impact on the environment.

Eco-friendly smartphone brand Fairphone shared its first “Nature Report" with TechRadar in an exclusive first-look, and it explores the impact of consumer electronics on nature and biodiversity. And it paints a damning picture of smartphones.

The report found that 75% of a smartphone’s environmental impact happens before it's sold, with the manufacturing of phones and the mining of materials needed for them putting pressure on biodiversity in 11 global mining hotspots:

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