My cell phone plan is a two year contract. I’m usually excited about upgrading my phone. However, there’s one little thing that bothers me, how do I recycle my old phone? Most carriers don’t want old phones. Rather than adding it to my growing collection of unwanted mobile phones, recycle it!
In 2007, approximately 14 million Americans recycled their used cell phones. Today, donating or recycling cell phones, PDAs, chargers, and batteries has never been easier. You can even donate your working cell phone or PDA to benefit your community. When cell phones and accessories are in good working order, some programs donate them to worthy charities or sell them at a discount to those in need.
Recycling cell phones helps the environment by saving energy and keeping usable materials out of landfills. Cell phones and PDAs are made of precious metals, copper, and plastics-all of which require energy to mine and manufacture. Recycling conserves these materials so they can be turned into new products. Cell phone collection programs can be accessed from almost everywhere in the US. Many organizations, such as cell phone manufacturers, retailers, network carriers, charities, and state or local solid waste programs offer cell phone donation and recycling programs.
Source: EPA.gov