How do you recycle cell phones?

Passing your old phones on to family or friends is the simplest method of recycling. The majority of the phones we discard for an updated model or after switching service providers remain completely usable and functional. If you give it to a friend or family member, you'll be sure that the phone will have an additional year or two of use. However, this merely stretches out the phone's life cycle. You can help the environment by telling the person receiving the phone to recycle it properly when the time comes.

You can actually return your old cell phones to the manufacturer for recycling. The leading US service providers and manufacturers such as Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint have cell phone take-back programs with free shipping and/or discounts in subsequent purchases. They'll ensure that the phones are refurbished or recycled in an environmentally safe manner. The companies receive a steady flow of recycled materials for producing new things while you ensure that your old phones are recycled safely and you receive discounts as well.

Donate your phones to your favorite charity or non-profit organization. A lot of these groups collect old cell phones and sell them to recyclers and refurbishers to raise funds. You can work with other non-profit organizations and even request material assistance from recycling companies if you wish to initiate a similar project in your area. Even children are getting involved with these projects. Zoos often place cell phone collection boxes near the entrance. Raising funds for a noble cause will put good use to something that would have been useless or even harmful if discarded inappropriately.

Recycle cell phones through refurbishing and recycling companies. Selling your old or used phones to businesses is quick and easy. Everything can be done on the internet in several minutes. Just visit the company's website, check the actual buying price of your phone, and request a shipping label. After receiving the pre-paid labels, package your phones and mail them to the company. The company usually sends you the check within 4 business days of receiving your package.

There's plenty of opportunity to improve our efforts to recycle cell phones. As more consumers learn the importance of recycling cell phones, we will be able to increase the recycling rate across the nation.