Of course, this is a good opportunity for business minds.  In just a short time, along with the advancement of technology, there came a lot of mobile phones with a lot of features.  With a lot of new phones, there are also a lot of phones that end up becoming obsolete.

Luckily, there is an option to recycle cell phones.  Disposing cell phones carelessly can have adverse effects to the environment given that the batteries come with heavy metals which can cause pollution when leaked.  Recycling is the best option for its disposal.

Another reason for recycling is that most phones may be obsolete and all but it is still functional.  There are houses and shelters that may need emergency phones that can still dial and call 911.  Donating it can even save a life.

Recycling has been and will always be the best option for old cell phone units.  Help save the environment and save a life too.

LG Electronics, Nokia and Samsung had the same idea in mind when they wanted to help recycle. Old cell phones and also their accessories regardless of their make and model that are manufactured by the company can be mailed-in for their recycling program.  The mail-in charges are waived.  What is required is to have the old unit boxed up, have the pre-paid mailing label filled up (label can be printed from their website) and send it through mail.

Motorola had a different approach in encouraging the people to recycle.  The company created a program called Race to Recycle Program.  The program aims to help raise funds for the benefit of K-12 schools.  This is done by providing money incentives when they recycle old cellphones.

As ideal as it sounds to have waste prevented, it is very impossible to accomplish such.  One of the waste materials that need recycling is the electronics. Cellphones and other gadgets should not be thrown away carelessly.  For one thing, the batteries that enable these phones to run contain heavy metals. When these heavy metals leaked from their sealed packages, its contact with the land or with humans can cause serious damages.

The government and other local groups have created programs and teams to encourage recycling of mobile phones among the people.

e-Cycle St. Louis is a project of St. Louis Regional Partnership for Electronics Recovery.  This is basically a consumer electronics collection program.  It initially encourages reuse of unwanted or old electronics in the region of St. Louis.  If no longer useable, the program seeks recycling of the unit.

Another program is the Federal Electronic Challenge.  This covers government agencies and business establishments which gives incentives for those who can donate the largest amount of old or unwanted electronics that can be put up of recycling.

However, before deciding to dispose the old unit and have it recycled, there are some things that must be done first in order to avoid any hassles later on.

If dropping off the cell phone in a recycling company, it is important to see that the phone is free from any existing contract.  Service contracts are common in mobile phones and it may continue billing the user even if the phone is already disposed. In order to prevent any further billing, make sure that the contract is already finished or cancelled.

Also make sure that personal details are no longer stored in the phone.  Delete the phone book entries, messages and any other information related to the user.  SIM card must also be removed.  This is to prevent the privacy of the users as there are instances where the phone is still working and may end up being donated in a shelter as an emergency phone.  Other people may have access to such details.

As the need and demand for cell phones increased, mobile phone manufacturers have seen such opportunity. This time, they increased the features other than call and text.  Every month, there’s a new phone hitting the market and in no time, a lot ended up becoming obsolete. The problem is that not many people are aware that the obsolete phones, when not disposed properly, can actually end up causing pollution.

It all comes from the batteries of the old unit.  It contains heavy metals and other toxic elements. When not disposed of properly, these can be absorbed by the land. It can even leech through which will eventually reach the water supply. These elements are highly dangerous and can cause poisoning once ingested.

The key here is to get mobile phone users to be responsible in their units.  It is necessary to dispose it properly.  There are cell phone recycling companies that can properly dispose the unit without causing pollution which can be harmful.

Once the company takes hold of the units, what do they actually do to it when they say that they will recycle it?

Old units are not just those that have gone out of style.  It can be obsolete but it may still be fully functional.  The key here is to have the unit be able to dial the emergency number which is 911. If it can make such call, it can still be used.  Recycling companies usually donate these units to shelters for women and elders where emergency may always be apparent.  They might need an emergency phone and the old unit may be of use.  In fact, an old phone can save a life.

If the phone is no longer functioning, the parts will be segregated by the company for proper disposal. Cell phone units work by using rechargeable batteries as energy source.  In order to supply sufficient amount of energy, the batteries use heavy metals which are sealed tightly. Some who do not recycle their phones throw away the units and end up on landfills. Unfortunately, this is a leading cause of pollution.  Companies collect the batteries and carefully extract the heavy metals for proper disposal. This prevents absorption by the land and eventually reaching the water supply.

Be a responsible mobile phone owner and learn how to dispose an old cell phone unit properly.

Luckily, a lot of recycling companies are recognizing such trouble and they came up with some solutions on how to make it possible for everyone to be encouraged when it comes to recycling their units.

The first one is to have the units shipped free of charge.  This answers the problem of taking time to drop off the unit to the company’s office.  The shipping can be made anywhere and in just a matter of days, the old units can reach the recycling company. Furthermore, the shipping fees are shouldered not by the unit owner but by the company as well.

Another solution is to have an incentives program.  Sure, helping the environment may be a really great reason to recycle but of course, recycling units in exchange of money may encourage a lot more people.  Many companies buy old units per pound.  Instead of throwing away old units or letting it accumulate dust inside the cabinet, why not trade it in for cash.

These are just few of the ways used by companies to encourage recycling.  These ways have offered by convenience to everyone. It’s best to take advantage of such convenience to help save the environment.

The legislation has come up with a law identifying mobile phones as “considered hazardous waste”. Not everyone has knowledge regarding the phone’s content especially when it comes to its battery.  The battery of the phone operates by using hazardous chemicals. The chemicals are sealed tight in order to prevent leakage which could result to poisoning.

The problem is that many people are still unaware of such fact. They just dispose their phones negligently. In effect, the heavy metals and hazardous waste end up leaching from the landfills and eventually reach the groundwater system.

California State has Proposition 65.  According to such proposition, companies and mobile phone manufacturers are required to have their products come with warning labels. It must warn consumers on possible exposure to phthalates.

The legislation has come up with a law identifying mobile phones as “considered hazardous waste”. Not everyone has knowledge regarding the phone’s content especially when it comes to its battery.  The battery of the phone operates by using hazardous chemicals. The chemicals are sealed tight in order to prevent leakage which could result to poisoning.

The problem is that many people are still unaware of such fact. They just dispose their phones negligently. In effect, the heavy metals and hazardous waste end up leaching from the landfills and eventually reach the groundwater system.

California State has Proposition 65.  According to such proposition, companies and mobile phone manufacturers are required to have their products come with warning labels. It must warn consumers on possible exposure to phthalates.