National Cell Phone Recycling Week

Photo Credit: National Cell Phone Recycling Week

Last week we celebrated Earth Day 2011. Did you know it was also the start of National Cell Phone Recycling Week? Yeppers. And according to an article written by Emily Anderson, Mobiledia, “with e-waste clogging landfills, or worse, causing pollution when burned, several cell phone carriers are promoting recycling programs.” Cell Phone Recycling Week aims to raise awareness of device recycling, tying into a growing interest in minimizing the environmental cost of technology.

All the major cell phone service providers are working to recycle. According to Ms. Anderson’s article, “AT&T takes any cell phone, battery or accessory as part of their Reuse & Recycle program if you drop the device off at one of their stores. T-Mobile has a similar program, Handset Recycling Program, but will accept donations by mail, and even send you an envelope with pre-printed label and pre-paid postage. Sprint’s recycling program works like T-Mobile’s, except it offers buy-backs on some phones first for existing customers and will provide credit toward a new phone for qualified handsets. Verizon collects phones and accessories at its stores or by mail and recycles or refurbishes them. Through its HopeLine program, which recycles batteries and donates used phones and wireless minutes to domestic abuse victims, the company has helped over 100,000 women and kept 210 tons of e-waste out of landfills.”

"We encourage customers to use our easy recycling options this week and throughout the year to give new life to their old devices and help the environment at the same time," said Elva Lima, executive director of community relations and multicultural communications at Verizon.

In addition, Sprint offers some eco-friendly cell phones. The Samsung Replenish, is not only green in color, but is made of 80 percent recycled materials. Good on ya, Sprint and Samsung.

Cell phone service providers aren’t the only ones offering recycling programs. According to Ms. Anderson’s article, “Best Buy will recycle anything from Bluetooth headsets to TVs, Staples recycles office electronics and Office Depot sells Tech Recycling Boxes, which can be filled with unwanted electronics for recycling by a waste management specialist.”

Do you recycle your old unwanted electronic devices? Read my blog, Trade-in Your Old Cell Phone. In this day and age of e-waste, it is nice to know companies care. But all the company offers in the world won’t get those cell phones recycled without YOU participating. So get off your duff and turn in your old phones.

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