The Nothing Phone (2) is free from brominated flame retardants, here's why

In an X post, the popular company that makes such maniac phones as the Nothing Phone (2) and the Phone (2a) announced the publication of their Annual Sustainability Report for 2023 and the Phone (2a) Sustainability Report. "The reports share the remarkable strides we have made in advancing sustainable consumer technology", adds Carl Pei's company.

Every brand out there strives to paint itself as the most green, most sustainable, most eco-friendly ever: or at least to be perceived by the public as such. It's up to the customers to decide whether they believe that or not. I'm not talking about Nothing here, don't get me wrong – there's plenty of big (I mean big) corporations that have been caught red-handed, while playing the green card, while being toxic as you-know-what.

So, back to the environmental responsibility move by Nothing: the company's strategy emphasizes sustainable hardware solutions and sets specific annual goals to drive continuous improvement.

Here are some key takeaways from Nothing's sustainability report:

• Phone (2): As a testament to the company’s sustainability efforts, Phone (2) incorporates 53 parts made from bio-based and recycled materials. It features plastic-free packaging and a robust lifespan, supported by guaranteed software and security updates.
• A product of products: The Phone (2a) has achieved the company’s lowest-ever carbon footprint for a smartphone. It also showcases a new recycling process that repurposes plastic waste from Ear (2) into components for Phone (2a).
• Innovative use of recycled materials: Phone (2) sets an industry benchmark with 20% of its weight composed of recycled materials. This initiative has resulted in a carbon footprint of 53.45 kg CO2e over its lifecycle, which is 8.6% lower than that of Phone (1). The Phone (2a) model also features plastic-free, FSC Mix certified packaging with over 60% recycled fibers and is free of harmful substances like PVC and brominated flame retardants (BFR).

The last one – the brominated flame retardants – are chemicals added to products like furniture, electronics, and others. The goal is to make them less likely to catch fire by interfering with the chemical reactions that occur when something burns, thus slowing down the spread of flames.

However, BFRs can be dangerous for several reasons. Some BFRs can be toxic to humans and animals, accumulating in the body over time and potentially leading to health problems. They also don't break down easily and can persist in the environment for a long time, contaminating soil and water and affecting wildlife and ecosystems.