Considering the staggering statistic that Americans discard about 151 million smartphones annually, as reported by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it's crucial to contemplate what should I do with my old cell phone.
Disposing of cell phones in landfills is not only often illegal due to the hazardous materials in batteries, but it also squanders valuable resources. The EPA emphasizes that recycling one million cell phones can recover 35,274 pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, and 75 pounds of gold. Therefore, before relegating your outdated device to a drawer or the garbage, consider the environmentally sound and philanthropic alternatives available for your mobile phone's next chapter.
You certainly don’t need to pay to recycle an old cell phone, and in fact, most companies that recycle them get paid to do so. This had led to many charities making a small amount of money by collecting old phones. There are large organizations that will take unwanted phones, but you might also want to think locally.
Many schools and local charities now have recycling programs, and they do make a little bit on each donation. The saying that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure certainly applies. If you can’t find a large cell phone recycling program in your area, you might consider starting a small local one, perhaps for a local public school.
Check first, since so many schools have gotten the jump on recycling them already. As people move to bigger and better phones, or smaller and better phones, there are plenty of old cell phones just waiting for a place to land, and smart schools have provided that place. Local charities may also offer computer recycling or battery recycling too.
You might also want to hang onto any accessories that you have, since things like chargers or covers can often be used with a new phone. Continuing to use accessories in good shape makes smart economic sense.