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Recycle Your Old Cell Phone

Due to new technologies and the constant obsolescence of last generations’ mobile phones, the average consumer changes their cell phone every 18 months. This constant upgrading has an environmental downside -- since so many cell phones contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals, their presence in a normal landfill could lead to long term environmental damage. A new project, existing all over the world, has been started. Known as the  “recycle old cell phones” drive, special containers have been set out for  collection of cell phones and its accessories in an effort to improve the environment and recuperate raw materials. This project is saving energy and natural resources. It has been estimated that there at least 500 million cell phones in United States and every day one million of them are going into landfills posing severe pollution problems.

The first process of collection of cell phones, batteries and other accessories is followed by the special treatment process that has to comply with the current rules about disposing of electronic equipment. Almost 100 % of these materials are being reused by the industry as raw material for other equipments. The main manufacturers of mobile phones (Mitsubishi Electric, Nec, Nokia, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sharp y Siemens) are contributing and participating by financing this recycling effort, the same way as almost all the telecommunication companies all over the world.

All the major cell phone companies have recycling programs that benefit charities. One of the most important principle of donating old cell phones and its accessories is that this process is caring and solitary, as some principles say that “garbage has no price”. Cell phone donations are tax deductible. The telecommunication sector proposed also this initiative of recycling old cell phones as to offer an efficient solution for the growing generation of residues derived from the end of life of the cell phones.