Why refurbished
The greenest phone is the one that already exists.
Most of a phone's carbon footprint is created before it is ever switched on. Choosing refurbished keeps a working phone in use, saves money and means one less new phone has to be made.
The problem
Electronic waste is the world's fastest-growing waste stream
Two journeys
What happens to an old phone
Thrown away
- It goes in the bin or a drawer. Most old phones never reach a proper recycling point.
- It ends up in landfill, an incinerator or an informal scrapyard. Batteries can catch fire in bin lorries and waste sites, and phones contain lead, mercury and other substances that should not leak into soil and water.
- The valuable materials are lost. Gold, copper, cobalt and rare earth elements are buried or burned instead of recovered.
- A new phone is made to replace it, with fresh mining, manufacturing and shipping.
Refurbished
- It is collected and checked. Every phone we buy goes through more than 100 functionality tests on M360 diagnostic software.
- It is fixed and cleaned. Anything that fails is repaired or replaced, and the phone is cleaned and graded honestly.
- Old data is wiped for good. M360 performs a certified data wipe, so nothing from the last owner remains.
- It gets a second life with you, with a 12-month warranty, so no new phone has to be made for you.
Why it matters
Using a phone for longer is the single biggest thing you can do
Because most of a phone's emissions come from manufacturing, every extra year of use spreads that impact further. A study by Fraunhofer UMSICHT found that giving a smartphone a second life cuts its greenhouse gas emissions by around 37% compared with a single life.4
You still get a phone that works like it should, and you keep hundreds of pounds in your pocket.
- Less mining for new metals
- Fewer emissions from factories and shipping
- Less electronic waste in landfill
- The same phone for much less money
How we test
100+ checks on M360 before any phone is sold
We use M360 professional diagnostic software to test every phone, part by part. If something fails, the phone does not go on sale until it is fixed.
Screen and touch
Every area of the touchscreen, display brightness, dead pixels, Face ID and fingerprint sensors.
Battery
Battery health and charging. At least 80% health, or 90% on Premium, with a brand-new battery as an option.
Cameras
Front and rear cameras, focus, flash and every lens.
Calls and connections
Network signal, SIM and eSIM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and NFC for contactless payments.
Sound
Speakers, earpiece and every microphone, so calls and videos sound clear.
Buttons and sensors
Power, volume and side buttons, vibration, proximity and motion sensors.
Locks and history
Checked to be fully unlocked and free of iCloud, Google and Samsung accounts.
Certified data wipe
All previous data is permanently erased with M360 before the phone is reset and packed.
Your old phone
Got an old phone in a drawer?
Don't put it in the bin. Phone batteries can start fires in bin lorries and recycling centres. Many supermarkets, electrical shops and council tips take old phones for free. Find your nearest drop-off point at Recycle Your Electricals.
Good for the planet. Good for your wallet.
Every phone is tested, wiped, graded honestly and sent free by next-day delivery, with a 12-month warranty and 30-day free returns.
Sources
- United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and ITU, The Global E-waste Monitor 2024.
- Apple, iPhone 16 Product Environmental Report, September 2024 (128GB model: production 80%, use 18% of lifetime emissions).
- Royal Society of Chemistry survey of 2,353 UK adults, reported in Chemistry World.
- Fraunhofer UMSICHT for Interzero, Reuse of IT equipment, 2025. Compares a reused smartphone with a single conventional life cycle.
