The Ninth Strange Day

Recycle Your Old Cellphones

September 3, 2007

If you’re like me, you’re probably the type who upgrades to the newest and coolest phone as soon as your mobile carrier says it’s okay. If you’re not like me, you might upgrade as a matter of need, because they don’t support your phone any longer. So what do you do with your old phone?

Wirefly has answers. They have a list of programs for cellphone recycling.

Why do it? It’s better for the environment, for one thing. Cell phones, like other electronic equipment, contain materials that are toxic if they leak, and they don’t break down because they’re plastic and metal. You can’t just throw away an old phone, no matter how dead it is or how useless it seems, and if you keep them around the house, eventually someone’s going to get crabby that every time he opens a drawer, five defunct phones fall out onto his foot.

Parts of the phone literally can be recycled and used to make new phones. Recycling facilities are also equipped to handle the parts that are toxic and make sure they’re properly disposed of.

It might be of use to someone else. Many charities will collect cell phones and recondition them. The refurbished devices are then resold where there is demand, often in foreign countries that lag behind in technology, or they’re given directly to people who need them (because even a deactivated phone can be used to call 911).

Alternately, if your phone is worth something, Wirefly can donate the value of the phone to the charity of your choice.

For more information about Wirefly in the news, click right here.