A Blossoming Technology
1 Feb 2005 by Evoluted New Media
IMAGINE burying your old mobile phone to find a few weeks later a flower stands in its place. Well, this could soon be a reality thanks to researchers at the University of Warwick.
IMAGINE burying your old mobile phone to find a few weeks later a flower stands in its place. Well, this could soon be a reality thanks to researchers at the University of Warwick.
IMAGINE burying your old mobile phone to find a few weeks later a flower stands in its place.Well, this could soon be a reality thanks to researchers at the University of Warwick.
The University team, led by Dr Kerry Kirwan, together with hi-tech materials company PVAXX Research and Development and Motorola, have created a mobile phone cover that, when discarded, can be placed in compost and a few weeks later the case disintegrates and turns into a flower.
The engineers at the University of Warwick have used a special formulation of biodegradable polymer for the mobile phone case. In a small transparent window they imbed a seed. The seed is visible but will not germinate until the phone case is recycled.
Mobile telephones are one of the most quickly discarded items of modern technology, with customers regularly upgrading or changing their phone – leaving behind and increasing mountain of unwanted phones. Manufacturers are under increasing pressure to find new ways of recycling discarded goods. There is also mounting pressure from consumers who want to make an environmentally conscience purchase.
