Although individual cell phones contain only a fraction of the lead and brominated flame retardant found in a computer, their growing number and shorter life span threaten to contribute an increasing proportion of these and other toxic substances to the waste stream.
These devices are so small, therefore their environmental impacts might appear to be minimal, but the growth in their use has been so enormous that the environmental and public health impacts of the waste they create are a significant concern.
Like other wireless electronic devices, cell phones contain persistent and bio-accumulative toxic chemicals (PBTs) that are linked to cancer and a host of neurological, reproductive, and developmental disorders. Their components include: arsenic, antimony, beryllium, cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc; along with the brominated flame retardant used in the plastic parts.
It should be noted that these substances are not known to pose threats to the environment or public health while the devices are being used. Rather, their hazardous effects occur downstream - during materials extraction and processing - and at end of life, when cell phones and other wireless products are incinerated or disposed of in landfills, and during recycling processes such as shredding, grinding, melting, plastics extrusion, and metals processing.
The impacts that cellphones have on the environment are not alarming as they come at a very minimal scale.
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