Vodafone And MobileMuster Team Up To Tackle E-Waste As Unused Tech Piles Up

Vodafone and MobileMuster are pushing to cut Australia’s growing e-waste burden as new figures show households are holding on to millions of unused and broken devices.

Australia generates around 500,000 tonnes of unused technology each year, a volume almost triple the global average. Industry data points to a lack of clear guidance on responsible disposal as one of the key reasons old devices remain in drawers or end up in landfill.

MobileMuster estimates more than 23 million phones are currently sitting idle across Australian homes, with 13 million of those broken or unusable. The provider linked the trend to uncertainty about recycling programs and limited awareness of recovery options.

Trade-In And Recycling In Focus

Vodafone is spotlighting two pathways for customers looking to offload unused tech: its device trade-in program and its free recycling partnership with MobileMuster.

Ian Lilley, Head of Sustainability at Vodafone, said the holiday season creates a natural opportunity to remove older devices from circulation.

“As Australians start purchasing new technology as holiday gifts, we want to show how clearing out that drawer of old unused devices can be a great way to score some extra value,” Lilley said. “Many people don’t realise their old phone could be worth hundreds via trade-in, or that the materials can be recycled safely and responsibly by dropping them at one of the MobileMuster collection bins at a Vodafone store. This holiday season we want our customers to know it’s easy to clear out the clutter, get credit in your pocket and do something positive for the planet.”

Turning Clutter Into Credit

Vodafone’s trade-in scheme allows customers to redeem eligible devices for credit that can go toward a new handset or be applied to their monthly bill. Devices submitted through the program may be refurbished, resold or recycled.

The process involves three steps: obtaining an online quote, visiting a store for assessment and receiving credit on the spot.

Extending The Life Of Old Devices

For hardware that cannot be traded in, Vodafone stores act as free drop-off points through the MobileMuster network. The program recovers up to 95 per cent of materials including gold, copper, lithium and glass, which are then reused in products such as electronics, batteries, sunglasses and road-surfacing materials.

Since 2024, Vodafone has recorded a 55 per cent year-on-year increase in customers recycling through MobileMuster, with close to 27,000 devices processed since last year.

David Robb, Head of Operations at MobileMuster, said each recycled device helps reduce pressure on landfill and boosts material recovery.

“Every recycled device is an opportunity to recover valuable resources,” Robb said. “Our partnership with Vodafone has been instrumental in diverting over 102 tonnes of e-waste from landfill since 2018. By providing an incentive through trade-in and by making mobile phone recycling accessible with MobileMuster, Vodafone is helping solve the e-waste challenge one device at a time.”

Push For National Participation

Vodafone encouraged Australians to visit their local store throughout November to check the value of unused phones or drop off older devices for responsible recycling.

MobileMuster accepts mobile phones, chargers, accessories, wearables, SIM cards, modems, routers, landline phones, TV streaming devices, smart speakers, digital hubs and tracking tags. Items such as tablets, laptops and TVs are not part of the program.

Last Updated on December 1, 2025 by Nick Ross