Mobile phones are here to stay, in more ways than the obvious one. With consumers constantly being encouraged to upgrade to the latest models by the manufacturers and service providers, what happens to the old phones? Many will end up at the back of drawers gathering dust, unused and neglected, eventually being discarded and ending up in landfill sites.

As no one has yet come up with a fully biodegradable phone, these old mobiles will stay in the ground for centuries. They will not remain intact though. The dangerous and toxic chemicals used in manufacture will leak out, particularly from the batteries, and pollute the environment. In large enough concentrations these materials, if they make their way into our water supply, can be very damaging to our health and the health of our children.  A solution to this problem is available though.

There are many companies offering to reuse and recycle old mobile phones even paying cash for mobiles that can be reconditioned and sold on. Consumers, through the websites, can establish a value that they can sell their phone for and are provided with a freepost package to send it back to the company. The company will then test the phone, refurbish it if possible, and sell it on, usually to consumers in the developing world.

This prevents the pollution of our environment and makes phones available to people that often can’t afford the latest models. Sending your old mobile phone to be recycled makes a great deal of sense, both economically and environmentally.

Picture courtesy of Kapungo