Recycle Your Cellular Phone this Earth Day

In 2006, Americans threw away 100 million cell phones. Recycling them could have saved enough energy to power 194,000 U.S. households for a year according to the EPA. April 22nd is Earth Day and it's your chance to recycle your cellular phone responsibly and keep it out of the waste stream.

The Wireless Source, through its Charitable Recycling arm, introduced a cost-free mobile phone recycling service that not only recycles the device responsibly, but also removes all personal data residing on the unit and makes a donation to charity.

As cell phones have increased in popularity, the average life of a cell phone is now approximately 18 months. As people upgrade more frequently, it creates a stockpile of unused handsets sitting idle in glove boxes and desk drawers. It is estimated that there are more than 500 million cellular phones stockpiled in the United Stated alone. Many of these phones contain mercury and lead, recycled correctly the environmental threat is minimized.

To commemorate Earth Day, The Wireless Source will also make an additional donation to any of the featured charities listed on the web site for each phone sent in to be recycled.

Consumers can recycle and or donate their phone by going to www.charitablerecycling.com and download a prepaid shipping label and a tax receipt.

Mobile Phone Recycling
1. The estimated 500 million retired handsets in the USA weigh the same as a US Navy Aircraft carrier
2. Mobile phones returned to The Wireless Source are prepped for reuse. Reusable units have any personal data removed and are tested and/or remanufactured for redistribution. Those phones that cannot be reused are sent to an end-of-life mobile phone smelter, where the device is broken down into various components for full recycling.
3. Mobile phones contain numerous substances, which need to be disposed of in a safe and efficient manner.
a. The cadmium is a single battery from an old phone could seriously contaminate 600,000 liters of water, enough to fill a third of an Olympic size swimming pool. Cadmium is being phased out of new batteries, but many other poisonous materials remain.
b. Lead- which affects the immune, endocrine and central nervous system is used to solder components to the printed wiring boards
4. It is estimated that there are over 500 million used and out-of-service mobile phones stockpiled in the US with an estimated 130 million being retired each year.