| It is estimated that there are currently fifty million | | | | to charity, the address to send your phone to |
| mobile phone subscribers in the UK, the average | | | | can either be found on the charities website, |
| mobile phone user will upgrade once every | | | | alternatively you can simply hand it in at your |
| eighteen months, twenty million phones are | | | | nearest charity shop. |
| upgraded every eighteen months in the UK alone. | | | | If you not feeling charitable and want to receive |
| Only 20% of mobiles in the UK are ever re-used | | | | some cash for recycling / re-using your old phone |
| or recycled which means that close to one | | | | then you can either sell it on your favourite online |
| hundred million phones are stored in people's | | | | auction site. If you haven't got the time to sell it |
| cupboards, drawers and attics collecting dust. If | | | | on auction sites or can't find the box and all the |
| these phones were all piled up on top of each | | | | accessories, then a quick search on the Internet |
| other they would weigh six times heavier than | | | | will reveal mobile phone recycling sites that will |
| the London Eye! | | | | pay you up to £165 per phone you send in. |
| Mobile phones contain lots of dangerous | | | | To recycle your mobile on one of these sites it's |
| substances which should be disposed of in a safe | | | | just a case of searching for your model of phone, |
| way including cadmium, lead, flame retardants and | | | | once found a price will be given, if you are happy |
| beryllium. Although cadmium is now being phased | | | | with this price proceed through the checkout and |
| out of newer batteries in mobile phones, if mixed | | | | you will be sent a freepost envelope in which you |
| with water the cadmium used in one mobile | | | | can return your phone in. Some sites will give you |
| battery would be enough to contaminate over six | | | | the address straight away to speed up the |
| hundred thousand litres of water. Flame | | | | process. On receipt of your phone you will be |
| retardants are used in circuit boards and mobile | | | | sent a cheque through the post or payment will |
| plastic cases; these have been associated with | | | | be sent through your bank. |
| liver damage and cancer. Lead in mobiles is used | | | | There are three great things about recycling your |
| to solder various components to the circuit board; | | | | phone through one of these sites. The first is that |
| lead can cause serious damage to children's brains | | | | they only require the handset and battery and |
| and could affect the immune and central nervous | | | | not all the accessories or instruction booklets, the |
| system. Finally beryllium which is used in making | | | | second is that payment is sent within 7 days and |
| springs and other contacts within a mobile phone | | | | usually a lot quicker so no waiting for lengthy |
| can cause lung cancer. | | | | auctions to end and the third is even if your |
| There are numerous ways in which mobile phones | | | | mobile is damaged you can still sell it and earn a |
| can be recycled safely and efficiently. When you | | | | little extra cash. |
| upgrade your mobile, your network will send you | | | | Which ever recycling method you decide on they |
| an envelope in which you can return your handset | | | | are all certainly better than all your old mobiles |
| via a freepost address, once received they will | | | | just sitting around in bottoms of drawers and |
| either re-use or recycle it for you. | | | | cupboards or at worst being disposed of |
| Another way would be to donate your old mobile | | | | incorrectly and causing pollution or serious illness. |