Imagine a brave new world where you could use your coworker's charger when your phone died at work, or where your old charger worked with your new cellphone, creating less outdated tech waste.
New Democratic Glenn Thibeault is trying to bring that fantasy to life through legislation. Thibeault, a Sudbury MP and his party's consumer protection critic, launched a private member's bill Friday that would require phone manufacturers to create standardized chargers for all devices sold in Canada.
He says it will divert electronic waste from landfills and lower the cost of producing the phones.
"We know that when a person buys a new cellphone, they overwhelmingly dispose of their current charger, even if it's in perfect condition," he said in a release issued on his website. "People often have multiple chargers for home, work and in the car, so the cost of changing chargers quickly adds up."
The idea has a precedent in Europe, where 14 phone-makers -- such as Nokia, Motorola, Research in Motion and Apple -- agreed to do just that in 2009.
"The E.U. experience has shown that manufacturers are willing to take the steps necessary to develop cellular charger standards," said Thibeault's statement. "This simple and cost-effective change will have positive consequences for the environment, reduce e-waste, and help save consumers money."
However, the MP may have a hard time seeing his proposal to fruition. It is rare that a private member's bill from the Opposition makes it all the way to being law.
With files from The Canadian Press
