Leading mobile phone operators and manufacturers are working towards the 2012 date for the implementation of an energy-efficient universal charger for new mobile phones that will be available in Australia.

This issue was raised in the Senate this week with the Greens calling on the Federal Government “to legislate for the harmonization of mobile phone chargers in agreement with the mobile phone industry, similar to the agreement that has been reached in Europe”.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA), Chris Althaus, said the universal charger, which should be available for the majority of all new mobile phone models in 2012, would make life simpler for all consumers, including Australians.

This global initiative of adopting a common format is led by the GSMA and it is estimated that it will result in an estimated 50 per cent reduction in standby energy consumption and the potential elimination of up to 51,000 tonnes of duplicate chargers.

Mr Althaus said the industry in Australia welcomed the global initiative, which was announced last year and received wide media attention.

“Our industry is characterized by innovation, which is driven by a very competitive market. However, on issues of resource efficiency and reducing potential waste the manufacturers and mobile operators have committed to a cross-industry standard for a universal charger for new mobile phones,” he said.

“We believe this will be a significant environmental move by promoting more efficient use of scarce resources, more energy-efficient chargers and reducing the amount of material that needs to be recycled. It will also reduce the amount and risk of mobile phone chargers end up in landfill.”

MobileMuster, the official not-for-profit recycling program for the mobile telecommunications industry, is AMTA’s primary commitment to an environmentally sustainable industry, which minimises the use of resources through product stewardship, including recycling.