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Recycle your old cellphone

All Practically Green: 2,846 or so people have DONE this action so far.

All Practically Green: 51 or so people have ADDED this to their action plan so far.

Why is "Recycle your old cellphone" green?

With new versions of cellphones constantly coming out, it’s no wonder that the average American has at least three expired cellphones stockpiled at home. Those old cellphones can and should do more than gather dust.

One thing not to do? Trash them; e-waste—including discarded cellphones—contains metals like mercury that are extremely harmful if they end up in landfills, where they can leach into the ground and water. Some e-waste gets exported and burned—polluting the air and poisoning the workers charged with this unsafe task.

If you don’t know of an organization or a person who might find your old cellphone useful, recycle it. This will ensure proper handling of the heavy metals in the battery and recuperation of precious metals and other reusable resources from the interior. This will eventually give new life to these resources; they might even wind up in that new phone you’re coveting.

How to: Recycle your old cellphone

There are many ways to recycle your phone. The easiest is to ask your cellphone retailer when you’re upgrading to a new phone. They will be able to recycle your old one(s).

To recycle old phones you have lying around the house, look online for a local spot offering cellphone recycling near you. Many big box electronics retailers accept them.

Before you surrender your old phone, double check that service to it has been terminated. Then clear out any personal information or contacts from the phone’s memory. If you have a SIM card, remove and shred it.

  • Cell Phones for Life
    • (0 Ratings)

    Put your old phone to good use by donating it to charity. Cell Phones for Life is a non-profit that provides free emergency use cell phones to the elderly, the disabled and to women's shelters.

  • BuyMyTronics.com
    • (0 Ratings)

    BuyMyTronics.com makes it easy to sell electronics like used cell phones, iPods, digital cameras and game consoles, so you'll not only extend the life of your old phone, but you may make some money in the process.

  • EcoSquid
    • (0 Ratings)

    EcoSquid is a web platform that displays and ranks options for trading in, selling, or recycling your old electronics--everything from televisions to iPhones to game consoles.

  • Earth 911
    • (6 Ratings)

    Search Earth 911's extensive database to track down recycling centers near you and learn how best to recycle, well, just about everything!

  • Gazelle
    • (3 Ratings)

    Gazelle provides an easy, fast, and safe way for you to buy, sell and recycle your old electronics--whether you want to sell a cellphone, a laptop, or any other of the more than 250,000 products they accept.