Universal phone chargers to launch in 2010

A new energy-efficient universal mobile phone charger could be launched early next year according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

The United Nations organisation, which has now approved the standard for the new one-size-fits-all devices, said it was a “significant step” in reducing the environmental impact of phone chargers.

The GSMA, the mobile phone industry body that has been working with the ITU on developing the standard, has estimated that because chargers are brand- or product-specific, the number of redundant chargers generated when people upgrade their phones amounts to around 51,000 tonnes of waste each year.

Its research also showed that a universal energy-efficient charger would lead to 50 per cent reduction in energy consumption by users; leading to a subsequent reduction of 13.6 million tonnes in greenhouse gas emissions each year.

Consumers also benefit by being able to use the same charger for all future handsets, regardless of make and model.

Malcolm Johnson, director of ITU’s Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB) said: "This is a significant step in reducing the environmental impact of mobile charging, which also has the benefit of making mobile phone use more straightforward. Universal chargers are a common-sense solution that I look forward to seeing in other areas."

The new universal charger standard (UCS) was based on input from the GSMA. The design will be based on the micro-USB interface; the chargers will also include a four-star or higher efficiency rating.

This would make them up to three times more energy efficient than an unrated charger. Although it will not be compulsory for manufacturers to adopt the new standard most are expected to do so, with companies such as Samsung, Nokia and Sony Ericsson already signed up.