How to Make a Clean Break with Your Old Mobile Phone
When you first purchase a mobile phone, it’s easy to feel infatuated with your new toy. Ideally, you are happy with the phone and its features, and you can’t imagine wanting anything more. Then, one day, it happens. Your mobile phone, once a faithful, dependable companion, turns on you without any warning. The screen goes blank, the phone won’t ring, or it starts cutting off on its own.
Or, maybe you are the fickle one, so entranced by the latest model of mobile phone that you can’t wait to replace your current device. Whatever the reason, it’s time to get a new mobile phone and fall in love all over again.
What about the old phone? Should you throw it away, or just retire it to a drawer somewhere? Whatever you do, please don’t dispose of your mobile phone in the trash.It’s what’s inside that counts
Mobile phones may seem innocuous enough, but they actually do contain a variety of toxic materials. Of course, these hazardous substances are safely locked inside the casing when we use the phone, but if the phone is crushed and tossed into a landfill they can eventually leach out into the surrounding environment. Manufacturing new mobile phones also consumes fossil fuels and other natural resources.
So, what exactly are mobile phones made of? According to the EPA’s website, most mobile phones are made of 40% plastic, 40% metal, and 20% other materials.
The plastic is made from petroleum, so manufacturing it uses nonrenewable resources and creates carbon dioxide emissions. The circuit board of the phone is made of metals such as lead, cadmium, zinc, copper, as well as more exotic materials such as tantalum and coltan. The LCD screen can contain mercury, and the batteries contain cadmium, nickel, and lead.
Exposure to sufficient quantities of these toxins can cause a variety of symptoms, including increased cancer risk, nervous system damage, and liver damage.
The process of mining these minerals can also cause pollution. One little mobile phone may not seem like it could possibly cause a problem. That’s true enough, but when you consider how many people use mobile phones and how fast they consume them, the problem becomes more serious. For example, in America alone, the EPA reports that 150 million mobile phones are thrown away each year!
Now, of course, no one expects you to do without a mobile phone. That’s almost impossible in this day and age. However, there are some things you can do to make your mobile phone use more environmentally friendly:
- Reduce the frequency with which you trade devices. If your mobile phone is broken, you need additional features for your job, or your phone is so old that it still has an antenna, go ahead and get a new one. However, most people don’t actually need a new mobile phone every 6 months. You might think you need that bright and shiny new phone, but you probably don’t. Mobile phone companies use marketing to make you think you need a brand new phone so that they can make more money. Don’t fall for it. Making new phones uses energy, often energy derived from fossil fuels. Even recycling or refurbishing a phone consumes energy and resources, so wait to get a new phone until you actually need one.
- Reuse old devices. Do you have a friend or relative who could use your old device? Hook them up! Even if they have a different mobile phone carrier than you do, it is often possible for them to use your old phone. Make sure that your carriers run on the same type of network (either GSM or CDMA), and that your phone is unlocked before you make a gift of it.
- Recycle - If your phone has outlived its usefulness, someone probably still wants it. Some mobile phone recycling companies will let you donate a phone to the charity of your choice (see the end of this article for more information), while some offer cash or gift certificates in exchange for the phone. Even old mobile phones can often be refurbished and sold to consumers in developing countries. If the phone cannot be refurbished, many of the metals inside can be reclaimed for later use. Make sure you check with the company you use to make sure that they will recycle your old phone instead of throwing it away, even if they can’t refurbish it. Most mobile phone carriers also offer recycling in their stores. Some recycling programs have incentives like a credit on your bill; others simply provide you with a convenient place to dispose of the phone other than a trash can. One caution: make sure to wipe the phone clean of all personal information before you hand it over to be recycled.
With mobile phones, as with many trappings of the modern world, we have a choice between being responsible consumers and being wasteful. If we all consider the impact of our actions and act responsibly, we will be well on our way to a more sustainable future.
Additional
Fones4Schools is the leading UK mobile phone recycling campaign for schools and groups of any kind. Established in 2003, Fones4Schools has now worked with thousands of schools across the UK and helped to raise over 1 million pounds for participants. Check out fones4schools.co.uk for information.
Thanks to Sam for the tip!
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