To the Rescue of Homeless Cell Phones

What do you do with your old cell phones, still working or not? Do you abandon them in a drawer, on a shelf or in a box in the closet or garage? Or do you toss them into the trash? Have they not served you well? Do they not deserve better? Why not give them a second chance to live fully productive lives?

Reusable cell phones can save the lives of elderly and disabled persons, as well as victims of domestic violence, through free 9-1-1 programs offered in many states. Or they can be sold to smaller carriers that make cell phones affordable to economically challenged individuals. One ton of recycled cell phones produces more than 3.5 milligrams of pure silver. The gold collected from 200 recycled cell phones could make your wedding band.

On the average, Americans buy a new cell phone every 18 months, resulting in 150 million homeless cell phones every year. The dismal fate of most discarded cell phones, landfills and incinerators, increases the amount of post-consumer solid waste that must be managed and releases toxic substances (such as lead, copper and antimony) into the soil, ground water and air. In addition, producing new ones depletes natural resources (such as the aforementioned gold and silver) and contributes to air pollution from manufacturing and vehicular emissions.

Many states, along with the federal government, have enacted environmental protection laws regarding the safe disposal of the hazardous materials found in electronics, such as computers, monitors and televisions; however, specific cell phone recycling laws currently exist only in California, Maine and New York. Meanwhile, EPA bills regarding the disposal of electronics, including cell phones, are pending in other states.  Most of these laws put the responsibility on the manufacturer and/or retailer, while encouraging the consumer to reduce, reuse and recycle through public service announcements.

You can recycle pre-used cell phones in the following three ways:

1. RETURN THEM. In compliance with state and federal environmental protection laws and policies, retailers recycle all makes of cell phones, batteries and accessories, no matter where they were originally purchased. Look for the yellow recycling display in all store locations of these nationwide retailers:

          * Alltell
          * AT&T Wireless (formerly Cingular)
          * Best Buy
          * The Body Shop
          * Circuit City
          * Costco
          * FedExKinko’s
          * Office Depot
          * OfficeMax
          * Radio Shack
          * Sam’s Club
          * Sprint Wireless
          * Staples
          * T-Mobile
          * US Cellular
          * Verizon Wireless
          * Virgin Mobile
          * Wal-Mart

2. SELL THEM. Earn a little pocket money. The following Websites will purchase unwanted cell phones and accessories and recycle them appropriately:

          * www.greenphone.com
          * www.recellulartradein.com

3. DONATE THEM.  Many libraries and local charities collect homeless cell phones to sell, in order to support their various programs. Or you may consider holding a fund-raiser for your own church or nonprofit organization. The following Websites will re-sell your donated cell phones and contribute the proceeds to your favorite charities:

          * www.collectivegood.com
          * www.grcrecycling.com

Help rescue homeless cell phones from a fate worse than death and give your unwanted cell phones a second chance at life: Recycle them today! Mother Earth thanks you, Mother Nature thanks you and your cell phones thank you.