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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.

10 of 177 comments (clear)

  1. Know What I do with my old Phones? by ksplatter · · Score: 5, Funny

    I feed them to my personal Robot Rosie. She also enjoys PDA, Cogs and Sprockets.

    Doesn't anyone these days enjoy a good Jetson References. DAMN KIDS these days!

  2. 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.

    1. Re:Do Something about It For Free by unicron · · Score: 5, Funny

      "With your generous donations, we can make sure children like little Pepsi(Pepi-whatever) here get the phones they need to keep up with all their little friends. Each month, your child will send you a heart warming letter telling you how he used the phone, be it to order pizza, make a booty call, or simply check the temperature. Sometimes we take it for granted, always upgrading our phone, getting the latest and greatest color, photo capable phone. It may break your heart to know that most of these kids don't even have call waiting. Please, send us your phone. Together, we can make the world a better place."

      --
      Finally, math books without any of that base 6 crap in them.
  3. 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!*
  4. My Discarded Cellphone... by LordYUK · · Score: 5, Funny

    After moving 3 states away from my coverage, I learned of a thing called "roaming"... learned it to the tune of 350 bucks... I disposed my cell phone by testing out gravity from the second story of my apartment complex... I'd like to state, as of last August at least, Gravity Still Works.

    Humor folks, enjoy it. =)

    (and for all you trolls who are going to flame me for "not know what roaming is" there were other factors not the least of which is phone companies suck alot, monopolistic bastards, and yes, I was aware I was roaming, there was simply no other choice for about 3 months...)

    --
    This is my sig. Its pathetic.
  5. 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

  6. Why can't people resell these? by King_TJ · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I don't understand why so many people are tossing out their old cellphones in the first place?

    Every old cellphone I've ever owned, I was able to resell for at least $15 on eBay. (Often times, for much more than that!)

    People who don't want to be locked into 1 or 2 year long contracts often buy your "useless" old cellphones, so they can keep them in their vehicles as spares for emergencies.

  7. 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.
  8. 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
  9. Coltan by Draxinusom · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is even more distressing when one considers that the capacitors in these discarded cellphones are made of an element (tantalum) with an incredibly high cost of extraction in terms of human suffering. The mining of Ta has exacerbated a war in the Congo (which has over 80% of the world's Ta reserves) that has killed more than three million people. See for example What is Coltan? A google search for coltan congo cell phones turns up more.