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Discarded Cell Phones

Posted by michael on from the nokias-as-far-as-the-eye-can-see dept.

psychictv points to a NYT story about discarded cell phones as an environmental hazard. The study mentioned in the article is available online. Every year or so we run a story on paper, disposable cell phones but even these would generate a fair amount of waste.

5 of 177 comments (clear)

  1. Do Something about It For Free by pgrote · · Score: 5, Informative

    A group called Collective Good will take your cell phones and recycle them. Not only do developing nations get phones, but the people who refurbish them are trained. An interview with Seth Heine the founder of the group, explains a little more.

    It's a way to give back that doesn't hurt you or cost you anything.

  2. Women's shelters by jamesdood · · Score: 5, Informative

    I know that at here you can donate to womens shelters for use as emergency 911 phones, they don't need to have service to call 911.

    --
    *narf!*
  3. Used != useless by Cialti · · Score: 5, Informative

    As the article mentions, there are a number of charities that will accept used cellphone donations. One of the largest is the "Donate a Phone CALL to PROTECT" program that Motorola runs (they accept any model of phone, not just Motorolas). Phones are either refurbished and then distributed to domestic violence victims, or sold, and the proceeds go to domestic violence prevention programs. More information is available at: http://www.wirelessfoundation.org/12give/index2.cf m

  4. Check Here for more Info by Real+World+Stuff · · Score: 5, Informative
    Collective Good has been recycling for years.
    CollectiveGood is the mobile phone recycling resource. If you have a spare mobile phone sitting on a shelf or in a drawer, you can recycle it here in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. At CollectiveGood, you can:
    • Turn that spare mobile phone into something useful for people in the developing world Help raise funds for a charity of your choice in the process

    • Preserve the environment by keeping your used mobile phone out of a landfill, and by recycling it back into reuse
      Be rewarded for your good deed with a thank you letter and tax-deduction for your in-kind donation to a charity
      Think mobile phone recycling is a good idea? Share it!
    --
    If we don't fight for ourselves no one will.
  5. Same as old computers... by syrupMatt · · Score: 5, Informative

    There are already organizations that will safely recycle (or even better, refurbish for lower incomes) your old computers (http://www.accrc.org comes to mind for those in cali, us).

    There are organizations which will also take your old cellphones. Earth911 (http://www.earth911.org) will use it as a free emergency phone, and the rbrc will take the batteries (http://www.rbrc.org/consumer/).

    IMHO, the idea of sending these used cellphones to underprivleged nations doesn't wash, unless you are willing to include some infrastructure with them:)

    --
    "Moving through the masses like a fish through water." syrup