Recycling cell phones

An article posted on MSNBC reminded me of the increasing danger we face with recycling our electronic ‘throw aways’.

According to the article, by Dawn Stover, U.S. “recycling” programs may end up exporting cell phones to developing countries that lack recycling facilities, well-designed landfills or environmental guidelines for the safe handling of hazardous materials, making it highly unlikely that the phones will be safely recycled or properly disposed of.

Transferring this electronic waste problem to other countries does not violate international restrictions on the shipment of hazardous waste, but this does not mean it is ethical.

Most of us who actually make an attempt to recycle are concerned with how recycled material is processed. Most people are just glad to get rid of their leftovers and jump at the convenience of a charity fundraiser thinking they are helping the environment and the given charity.

Charities often don’t make very much money from these fundraisers. Most of the money ends up in the hands of middlemen who resell the devices. More and more for-profit companies — including EcoPhones, Phoneraiser, FundingFactory, CollectiveGood, Think Recycle, ReCellular, Cellular Funds and Project KOPEG (Keep Our Planet Earth Green) — are sponsoring these fundraisers at the expense of similar nonprofits.

For a list of non profit recyclers go to freecycle.org. Freecycle is a network of more than 4,000 groups around the world. It is a grassroots nonprofit group of people dedicated to ‘keeping good stuff out of landfills’.

According to EPA statistics from 2005, fewer than 20 percent of cell phones were recycled. Many ended up in landfills, where they can release nasty acids and toxic metals.

Many cell phones collected by for-profit companies are sold to refurbishing companies, which restore the phones to working order and in turn sell them to retailers. About three-quarters of the refurbished phones end up in Latin America, where they are usually marketed as prepaid (“pay-as-you-go”) phones. No mention was made as to what happens to the other 25 percent that cannot be refurbished.

We need to be more vigilant about who we give or sell these items to.

The article gives some tips on how you can make sure your local group receives the most benefit from its fundraising programs.

Also, if you really want to make a difference, consider purchasing a refurbished phone yourself. Service providers such as AT&T and Verizon offer “just like new” phones online, as do many smaller companies. Re-use is a much more efficient way to curtail waste than recycling.

Just because recycling is done by a ‘charity’ fundraiser doesn’t mean the items will be disposed of properly.

As a side note, last year Adam Kalsey, a Cubmaster and blogger in Gold River, Calif., accused EcoPhones of “spamming” Boy Scout leaders whose e-mail addresses are listed on local packs’ Web sites. Spokesperson Jennifer Parra acknowledged that EcoPhones sends marketing messages to teachers, pastors and others affiliated with schools, churches and community groups, but she said the company gives all recipients a chance to opt out of its mailing list as required by the federal CAN-SPAM Act.