Mobile phone recycling
Research suggests that there are over 20 million potentially
toxic redundant mobile phones in the UK, making up one to two
percent of electronic waste. People in the UK change their phone on
average every 12 months. As more and more new phones come on the
market this number is set to grow.
Old mobile phones don’t need to end up in a landfill site. There
are many ways in which you can recycle your old mobile phone and be
environmentally friendly at the same time. Some of these schemes
can even earn you cash, or money for your favourite charity.
Why recycle mobile phones
Some mobile phones and their accessories contain substances that
are amongst the 10 most dangerous known to man including Cadmium,
Rhodium, Palladium, Beryllium and Lead Solder. Simply throwing out
unwanted or old mobile phones is harmful for the environment as
there is the potential for considerable toxic contamination caused
by these substances leaking into the surrounding soil.
How to recycle mobile phones
There are a number of ways in which you can recycle your old
mobile phone, rather than have it gather dust, or worse, end up in
a landfill site:
Leave it with a phone retailer
Most of the big high-street retailers offer ‘take-back’ schemes
where you can drop your phone off in store or in a special
envelope. Most phones get re-conditioned and used in third world
countries. All retailers offer different recycling schemes so
please check with the retailer that you are happy with their scheme
before you leave your phone with them.
Leave it with a charity organisation
Most of the bigger charities offer a phone recycling scheme.
They earn money for every phone they collect and you can be happy
that you have donated to a good cause. Each charity’s scheme is
different. Some phones will be recycled for parts and others will
be reconditioned for use in third world countries. Please do check
that you are happy with a charity’s scheme before you leave your
phone with them.
Earn cash or credit points with an online ‘phone buyer’
company
There are many of these on the web and they will pay you for
your mobile phone, depending on the age, condition and model of
phone. You will receive a cheque or money in your bank account.
Some ‘phone-buyer’ companies give you the option to donate a
percentage of your phone’s value to a charity of your choice.
Sell My Old Mobile
Phone compares prices from 24 major UK mobile phone recycling
companies.
Online ‘phone-buyer’ companies include:
Sell your phone
Either to a friend or on eBay. eBay has a thriving mobile phone
business and you could earn yourself good money by selling your
phone rather than throwing it away or leaving it in a drawer. Even
if you don’t want the cash, you could donate it to your favourite
charity.