Each year the Environmental Protection Agency observes National Cell Phone Recycling Week, which runs this year April 5-11. The project brings together leading cell phone manufacturers and service providers to encourage consumers to recycle used wireless devices, batteries, chargers and other accessories — and to reduce the amount of reusable materials in landfills, including e-waste.
Millions of people have discovered that donating or recycling cell phones, PDAs, chargers and batteries is an easy way to make difference in the environment. In 2007, approximately 14 million Americans recycled their used cell phones. AT&T estimates it will collect roughly 14 million wireless devices for recycling by the end of 2011, which is the environmental equivalent of keeping more than 920 tons of primary materials and more than 13 tons of toxic waste out of landfills.
Recycling cell phones helps the environment by saving energy and keeping usable materials out of landfills. Cell phones and PDAs are made using precious metals, copper, and plastics that require energy to mine and manufacture. So recycling conserves these materials and means they can be turned into new products.
Donating your working cell phone or PDA also can benefit your community. When cell phones and accessories are in good working order, some programs donate them to worthy charities or sell them at a discount to those in need.
Cell phone collection programs can be accessed from almost everywhere in the U.S. Many organizations, such as cell phone manufacturers, retailers, network carriers, charities, and state or local solid waste programs offer cell phone donation and recycling programs.
You can drop off your old cell phone, PDA, cell phone batteries, chargers, or other accessories at one of the retailers or service providers below. Visit the links for detailed drop-off and collection event information:
- AT&T (map)
- Best Buy (map)
- Office Depot (map)
- Sprint (map)
- Staples (map)
- T-Mobile (map)
- Verizon Wireless (map)
Another option is to mail in your old cell phone, PDA, cell phone batteries, chargers, or other accessories at one of the retailers or service providers below. Visit the links for detailed drop-off and collection event information.
Before you drop off or mail in your old cell phone, the EPA recommends that you make sure that you have terminated your service contract for the phone and erased any data in the phone. To ensure that personal information is cleared from the phone, you can:
- manually delete all information and remove the SIM card
- contact your service provider or phone manufacturer for instructions
- or use a data erasing tool such as ReCellular’s Cell Phone Data Eraser
- Go to the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association’s recycling program Wireless…The New RecyclableTM for additional tips to consider when recycling your cell phone.
- Listen to EPA’s podcast on cell phone recycling to learn what happens to your cell phone once it’srecycled and hear answers to common questions.
- Recycle Your Cell Phone. It’s an Easy Call (Flyer) (PDF)