Green Cells

Recycling

 

Recycling Used Cell Phones

GreenCells implements the best recycling there is: reuse. Reusing a cell phone saves you money, frees you from contracts with carriers, lets you try new models more often, and helps the environment. It is no secret that the use of electronics has increased significantly over the years. According to the EPA, a significant amount of e-waste is deemed for end-of-life management way before it is necessary. The reality is that a significant amount of this e-waste is readily marketable for reuse or can be recycled for materials recovery. They also state that in 2007, cell phones were only recycled at a rate of approximately 10 percent. The good news is that e-waste reuse and recycling is also on the rise. GreenCells goal is to inform consumers about how important it is to recycle, and provide an easy outlet to send in and acquire used cell phones.

What should I do with my cell phone before I donate or recycle it?
The first thing that you should do before you send in your phone is to erase all personal data (contacts, TXT messages, pictures, etc.). Most phones have a “master reset” option that will erase all personal data and set the phone back to its factory settings. Before sending in your used cell phone you should also make sure that you have taken out your SIM card (this applies to GSM phones like AT&T, T-Mobile) and disconnected your phone from your current cell phone account. If you have any question about this process, you can contact your service provider by dialing 611 on your cell phone.

What happens to your used cell phones when they get to GreenCells?
The phones that still have potential to be reused are double-checked that all personal data has been removed. They are then checked for functionality and repaired, if necessary. The phones that do not get resold get harvested for parts. Anything that GreenCells does not use is sent to be recycled for precious metals and plastics.

How does the environment benefit from recycling e-waste?
Cell phones are made from valuable resources, all of which require energy to produce, and create waste during their production. Reusing cell phones greatly extends their life cycle. Recovering these materials by recycling avoids the need for new materials to be processed, thus reducing carbon emissions and waste involved in the mining and production process.

What are the economic benefits of recycling e-waste?
Both the consumer and the environment benefit from the reuse and recycling of e-waste. Buyers of used cell phones see an immediate economic savings with 50% to 80% savings over new cell phones. The reuse of electronics also promotes a broader economic savings by easing the demand for resources needed to create them.