Almost everyone has a mobile phone these days. They're ubiquitous, and they've come a long way since the early days. You may remember when cell phones were large, clunky, and rare, however; the average US phone lasts only eighteen months. These phones aren't necessarily broken. They're thrown out by people who want to upgrade, like I often do, and get the best new features obtainable. That result is a lot of toxic trash.

Mobile Phone Recycling

In some states, it's illegal to throw out a mobile phone. In others, these phones can be tossed without legal repercussions. However, that doesn't mean throwing away a mobile phone is a smart idea. The batteries and electronic components in these phones are likely to leach toxins in to landfills and even in to ground water.

Phones can contain heavy metals and other elements like arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury & selenium. They may also contain PVC, which is among the least stable of the plastics, and brominated compounds that can cause other problems. Plenty of of these compounds are bioaccumulative, building up in the bodies of animals & people, and in the environment.

If they have an easily fixed problem, they'll be refurbished and sold again at a lower price - often to people in poorer countries. Phones that are broken will be broken down for their useful materials, with the unusable ones disposed of properly.

So, what can you do instead of throwing out that unwanted phone? The first thing is to keep your phone a lot longer, and replace it only when you need to. However, if you do need to get rid of your phone, recycling it is a smart choice. Phones that are recycled can be reused if they work. Many are given to charities.

Cell phone drives make nice fundraising exercises for schools, charities, & clubs as well. That's because cell phones have a remarkable amount of gold in them - 230 grams per ton. A ton of phones have about three thousand dollars worth of gold in it, which can be removed using the right commercial processes.

You can find a mobile phone recycling option by searching online. Type your location and either "cell phone recycling" or "mobile phone recycling" in to the search bar and see what comes up. You can even get prepaid envelopes you can put your phone in to send it to companies that aren't nearby, and some refurbishing companies will even pay your for your old phone.

Recycling a cell phone is a smart choice that keeps the environment healthier and allows people who couldn't otherwise afford a phone to have one. If you're thinking about upgrading, or you need to buy a new phone because yours is broken, don't toss it in the trash. Recycle your mobile phone - you'll feel better about it.

Would you like to learn more about recycling and living green? Make sure to check out Michelle's GOGREEN Blog for going green and saving the environment.

Tags: cell phones, technology, cell phone recycling, recycling mobile phones, recycling old cell phone