Cell Smarts
April 6th, 2009 by Matt Meister
This week - April 6-12, 2009 - is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Cell Phone Recycling Week. In 2007, only ten percent of unwanted cell phones were recycled in the U.S. When you recycle your phone instead of tossing it in the trash can, you help to keep valuable reusable materials out of the landfill, prevent air and water pollution, save energy and materials needed to make new products, and reduce emissions that impact air quality. As a matter of fact, if Americans recycle the 100 million cell phones that are no longer used, we could save enough energy to power 18,500 homes for one year!
Matt’s Tip: Instead of throwing old cell phones or personal digital assistants (PDAs) out or letting them sit in storage, recycle! Precious metals, plastics, and copper from the phones can be recovered, and phones in working order may be donated to charitable organizations who can re-use them. The EPA’s Plug-In to Recycling program has partnered with a number of retailers and service providers - including AT&T, Samsung, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless - for in-store and online recycling opportunities. Learn more: www.epa.gov/epawaste/partnerships/plugin/index.htm.
