Page last updated at 15:51 GMT, Friday, 23 October 2009 16:51 UK
Universal phone charger approved  children with phones Future
handsets will all be able to use the universal charger
Industry body the GSMA says that 51,000 tonnes of redundant
chargers are generated each year.  Currently most chargers are
product or brand specific, so people tend to change them when
they upgrade to a new phone.  However, the new energy-efficient
chargers can be kept for much longer.  The GSMA also estimates
that they will reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 13.6m
tonnes.  "This is a significant step in reducing the
environmental impact of mobile charging," said Malcolm Johnson,
director of ITU's Telecommunication Standardisation Bureau.
"Universal chargers are a common-sense solution that I look
forward to seeing in other areas."  The charger has a micro-USB
port at the connecting end, using similar technology to digital
cameras.  It is not compulsory for manufacturers to adopt the
new chargers but the ITU says that s