HOW TO RECYCLE YOUR OLD CELL PHONE
Experts estimate that a normal user purchases a new cell phone model every 18 to 24 months. Unfortunately, this means that users frequently discard their handsets contributing heavily to global e-waste. US users discard more than 125 million phones each year which translates into more than 65,000 tons of dangerous waste. Waste from mobile phone parts and accessories pose a danger to human health and the environment. Mobile phone waste contains hazardous materials including lead, mercury, cadmium, brominated flame retardants and arsenic. Fortunately, you can contribute to solving the growing global e-waste problem by recycling your old or broken cell phone. Recycling your cell phone is an effective conservation strategy that helps to protect the environment. You can keep valuable resources such as precious metals, copper, and plastics out of landfills by recycling your cell phone. You can also help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and conserves natural resources if decide to recycle your handset instead of throwing it to the dump. Various Environmental groups, agencies and stores throughout the world offer programs that help users to recycle their cell phones. You can easily recycle your cell phone with help from these electronics recyclers. Let's take a look at some electronics recyclers that can help you recycle your phone.
The Plug-In To eCycling program is a partnership between the EPA and consumer electronics manufacturers and retailers. This organization aims to make it easier for consumers to safely recycle old electronics and promote shared responsibility for safe electronics recycling. There website provides a list of partners that can help you to recycle your phone. Some of these partners offer takeback, mail-in, or trade-in programs to consumers who want to donate or recycle their handsets. Some Plug-In To eCycling partners host collection events at retail locations or work with cities and municipalities to create local recycling events.
This electronic recycler manages in-store collection programs of many mobile phone carriers. ReCellular also works with nonprofits that fund charitable works through cell phone collection drives. This recycling group aims to change consumer attitudes about used cell phones. ReCellular offers two options for consumers for cellphone recycling. The first option involves consulting the ReCellular website for the location of the nearest cell phone donation center. Consumers can also use the website to get information about the nearest retailers where they can pick up a pick up a pre-paid donation envelope. The second option involves assistance in organizing a cell phone recycling donation program with one of ReCellular's national partners.
This is a nonprofit organization focused on recycling rechargeable batteries found in mobile phones and other wireless products. Call2Recycle also provide consumers and retailers in the United States and Canada with simple ways to recycle old phones. Consumers can enter their zip code on the Call2Recycle website and be directed to a cell phone donation drop box in their area. You can find Call2Recycle drop-boxes in most major electronics retailers that participate in their mobile phone recycling program. The phones will be sold to manufacturers, which either refurbish and resell the devices or recycle their parts for use in making new handsets.
This website buys your old but working phones and PDAs and sells them to customers around the world. Green Phone also plants a tree through partnerships with American Forests and Sustainable Harvest for every phone it buys. You'll be able to help the environment by selling your old but working handset to Green Phone. The process is fairly simple. You simply select the phone you want to sell in a list at the Green Phone website and they will inform you of its monetary value. You can send your handset and its related accessories like chargers and data cables with a free postage label. The folks at Green Phone will examine and test your donated cell phone and accessories. You will only be paid for working phones and accessories but they will recycle all mobile devices and accessories that are no longer functional. |
