Reasons to Recycle Old Cell Phones

We live in a fast-paced world where the cell phone is an intrinsic part of life. There are more than five billion cell phone users in the world today, meaning that more than 70% of all people on the planet have some manner of cell phone.

In this disposable age, most of these people likely won't think twice about replacing an old cell phone with a newer, sleeker model featuring all the latest applications. With the constant influx of new models and the pace of innovation, today's average phone has a lifetime of just 18 months before its user decides to move on to something new. It's believed that there are more than 800 million obsolete cell phones in our homes and workplaces, forgotten in desks and drawers after being replaced, waiting to be disposed of. What will become of these old phones?

Every year, discarded cell phones add up to nearly 65,000 tons of toxic waste. Toxic heavy metals such as lead, mercury, beryllium, and cadmium can be found in some phone models and their batteries. The durable plastics encasing them may contain brominated flame retardants, which persist in the environment and build up over time. Without proper recycling these elements can create environmental safety concerns, leaching into the soil and potentially making their way into our drinking water. More than two million cell phones every single week end up in landfills. In the time it will take to read this article, another three hundred cell phones will be thrown away.

But there's another option. Donating your used, unwanted, and otherwise forgotten phones to Phones 4 Charity stops the cycle of waste, and the benefits go far beyond the environment.

Such simple notions as technology and connectivity can be taken for granted, but in some parts of the world, something so basic as an old, used cell phone can mean the difference between getting much-needed assistance or going without. In places where land lines don't reach, these phones offer more than hope. They offer the ability to connect, provide opportunities, and can even save lives.

Additionally, these phones can be recycled and put to a new use by re-purposing the components into new items. The precious metals such as gold and copper can be extracted for jewelry and manufacturing purposes, the circuitry can be reused. Even the tiniest wires can be used in the recreation of new technologies. Such re-purposing means that new components don't need to be mined from the earth or built from scratch, conserving finite resources and further cutting down on pollution and the creation of more toxic products.

All of this means that no matter what the condition, whether the phone is last month's hottest model, last decade's big seller, non-functioning, or downright broken, it can have a new life by recycling through Phones 4 Charity. Recycling supports innovation, provides needy families with the ability to connect, and protects the environment. There's no reason not to.

Cell phone donations can help local charities, too. Phone collection drives can provide an opportunity for fundraising, and you can even list these cell phone donations as a tax deduction. It's time to open those drawers, pull out those forgotten phones, and turn them into something meaningful.