If you’re ready to upgrade your old cell phone for that new model you’ve been eying, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the cell phone industry want you . . . to recycle or donate your used cell phone. This week (April 6-12, 2009) is National Cell Phone Recycling Week, a joint effort between the EPA’s Plug-In To eCycling program and leading cell phone manufacturers, retailers and service providers to increase national awareness about the importance of cell phone recycling.
In 2007, Americans recycled only 10 percent of their unwanted cell phones. Through National Cell Phone Recycling Week, the EPA and its cell phone industry partners are aiming to increase that rate significantly—and it’s a worthwhile effort.
Recycling or reusing cell phones helps the environment by saving energy and keeping reusable materials out of landfills. Cell phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) contain a variety of precious metals, copper, and plastics. Recycling or reusing them not only conserves these materials, it also prevents air and water pollution and reduces greenhouse gas emissions that occur during manufacturing and while extracting and processing virgin materials.
If Americans recycled the 100 million cell phones that are discarded annually, the EPA estimates the nation would save enough energy to power more than 18,500 homes for a year.
Another option is to donate your used cell phones or PDAs, which can have social benefits for communities by raising money for charities that sell the used cell phones at a discount. Many existing recycling programs already donate cell phones that are in good working order to worthy charities, which either reuse the cell phones in their own organizations, sell the phones for fundraising, or distribute the cell phones free to low-income people.
Plug-In To eCycling is a voluntary partnership between EPA and electronics manufacturers, retailers, and service providers, which offers consumers more opportunities to donate or recycle their used electronics. In 2007, as part of their commitment to the program, retailers and electronics manufacturers voluntarily recycled more than 47 million pounds of electronics, mostly computers and televisions.
Photo by Andrew Sacks/Getty Images
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