New EU rules on USB-C chargers go much beyond an iPhone redesign
Hindustan TimesEuropean Union legislators have ruled that all mobile electronic devices sold within countries that come under the bloc must have USB-C connection port by the fall of 2024. The EU’s pitch is simple – consumers will save money they’d have otherwise spent to buy new chargers, and more than 11,000 tonnes of e-waste annually will be saved in the form of disposed or unused chargers. While this measure to standardise USB-C will help reduce e-waste and is potentially a step towards solving the problem, it will only have limited impact – that is, reduce just the charger generated waste. According to the 2020 Global E-Waste Monitor, 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste is generated annually, and mobile phone chargers make up for around 54,000 tonnes globally.