wide-area use of materials. In particular, in order to ensure the appropriate and strategic use of valuable resources contained in CRs, the government will take measures to make recycling technologies and systems more sophisticated, to expand collection structures, and to strengthen joint efforts with consumers while improving credibility.

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## Promoting the collection of mobile handsets

With the appearance of lighter, cheaper and more capable handsets, mobile phones are now so common that over 100 million people use them in Japan. Since mobile handsets contain gold, silver copper and rare metals such as palladium at concentrations higher than those found in natural ores (see “Valuable metals contained in mobile and PHS handsets”), they need to be appropriately recycled and disposed of from the viewpoint of effectively using resources.

For this reason, a voluntary collection and recycling system has been established by mobile and

## V aluable metals contained in mobile and PHS handsets

Type of mineral	Valuable metals contained in mobile and PHS handsets	Reference: Average content in ore
Gold (g/t)	400	0.92
Silver (g/t)	2,300	93
Copper (%)	17.2	1.2
Palladium (g/t)	100	181

Source : Created by the Ministry of the Environment, based on the FY 2001 Annual Report for Establishing a Sound Material-Cycle Society and issued by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

PHS carriers (the Mobile Recycling Network) in order to promote recycling (see “Changes in collected mobile handsets in number and weight”).

Changes in collected mobile handsets, by number and weight by fiscal year

Before MRN	After the Mobile Recycling Network
FY 2000	FY 2001	FY 2002	FY 2003	FY 2004	FY 2005	FY 2006
Collected bodies	Number in 1,000 units	13,615	13,107	11,369	11,717	8,528	7,444	6,622
Weight in tons	819	799	746	821	677	622	558
Collected batteries	Number in 1,000 units	11,847	11,788	9,727	10,247	7,312	6,575	6,133
Weight in tons	304	264	193	187	159	132	125
Collected battery chargers	Number in 1,000 units	3,128	4,231	3,355	4,387	3,181	3,587	3,475
Weight in tons	328	361	251	319	288	259	234

Source : TCA and CIAJ

However, the number of handsets collected has actually been declining over the years. Approximately 6.6 million units were collected in FY 2006, while about 50 million units were shipped to the domestic market in the same fiscal year. The factors behind this can be observed in the results of a consumer questionnaire. When asked about the reasons for keeping their old handsets, most respondents cited their desire to keep the phone as part of their personal collection or for sentimental reasons, while others answered that they still use their handset for purposes other than making telephone calls. On the other hand, 22.0% of respondents (a smaller percentage than in the previous fiscal year) cited no specific reasons, suggesting that many people hold onto their mobile phones for no valid reason. The percentages for those who did not know how to dispose of the handset (9.9%) and those who were too lazy to bring it to a store (5.9%) were also high. There is a need to publicize the collection system to consumers and enhance the current collection structure (see “Factors behind the reduction in the number of mobile handsets collected).