Just about everyone has a cell phone in America today. According to the Pew Research Center, over 97% of Americans own a cell phone. The typical smartphone lasts about three years.
Eventually, however, cell phones begin to have operating problems. Batteries degrade, or screens break. Then, it’s time for a new phone! Many will wonder; what to do with old cell phones then?
Are you considering upgrading your cell phone? Or are you in the market for a new phone because your old one is broken? Along with purchasing a new phone, you’ll need to decide what to do with your old one. Your cell phone contains valuable materials. This includes metals such as silver, plastic and other components. So, recycling is the best option.
You may be wondering if it is even possible to recycle a cell phone. In fact, the number of mobile phones that are recycled is increasing. But the sad reality is that about 130 million cell phones are tossed in the trash each year. If they were recycled instead, they would produce enough energy to power 24,000 homes. Recycling a used cell phone is either done through reuse of the components or removal of the materials for reuse in other applications.
Unfortunately, less than half of electronic devices in the United States are recycled. Your old mobile phone shouldn’t just be tossed in the trash. Not only is this harmful to the environment, but over half of all U.S. states ban the disposal of electronics in a landfill.
One thing you cannot do is put your old phone in your curbside recycling. Cell phones need special processing that single-stream recycling facilities can’t handle. If you do put cell phones in your curbside bin, it won’t be recycled. Most phones will end up in a landfill.
Smartphones are made from of raw materials that must be sourced, extracted and processed into the phone in your hand. There is glass and liquid crystalline from the display and lithium metallic oxide in the battery. The circuit board is made of gold, silver, lead, copper, and palladium.
Old electronics, such as cell phones, are major contributors to e waste (electronic waste). Virtually all of the components can be recycled. This reduces the need to source new materials for the manufacture of new cell phones.
In fact, the less mining and extraction of precious metals we do, the better. These industries often use processes that are dangerous to the environment and not fully sustainable in the long run.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that for every million mobile phones that are recycled, 75 pounds of gold, 772 pound of silver, 35,0000 pounds of copper, and 33 pounds of palladium is recovered. With over 150 million cell phones discarded each year, you can see that the amount of recoverable metals is significant.
Some of what can’t be recycled is toxic and non-biodegradable. This type of e waste should be handled correctly as hazardous waste, rather than ending up in our landfills
Before you recycle or give away your phone, take some privacy precautions. First, copy and transfer all the data on your phone to your new device or to cloud storage. Then, remove all your personal information and all pictures and downloads from your phone.
Remove the SIM card as well. As a final step, do a factory reset to return your phone to the original factory settings. This ensures that no personal information remains in any hidden areas of your phone’s memory.
The battery in your phone may need to be recycled separately. Since you can’t mail these types of batteries, you shouldn’t leave it in your phone when send your phone via mail to a manufacturer’s recycling program.
Batteries can be recycled at a hazardous waste recycling facility near you. Also, not all recycling programs take accessories like charges, cords, or cases. Be sure to ask before dropping these off with your old phone.
In most cases, cell phones sent for recycling are broken up into their separate components and melted down. This extracts the precious metals, glass, and plastic from the phone. A ton of cell phones can result in as much as a half-pound of gold and up to 300 pounds of copper.
If the cell phone is still in working order, it is often refurbished and either donated or sold. Working parts from broken cell phones can also be combined together to produce a functional cell phone or can be used in combination with new parts to make a new cell phone.
Finally, after recycling your cell phone, what should you do with your cell phone case? Most cell phone cases are made of a type of plastic that can’t be recycled. If it’s in good shape, you can try to sell it or offer it for free on a neighborhood sales group such as Facebook Marketplace or Nextdoor.
This is probably the easiest way to recycle your cell phone. When you buy a new one, ask if the store has a recycling program. You can simply leave your old phone with them when you leave. The store will then send the phone along to its partner recycler for processing.
If your old cell phone is still working, there are several programs that will accept them and put them to good use:
Major retail manufacturers such as Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T run recycling programs. They make it as easy as possible by allowing you to mail in your old cell phone or drop it off at a retail store. Some retailers will give you a gift card in exchange for your old phone or even credit towards the purchase of a new device.
You don’t have to go straight to your particular cell phone’s manufacturer to participate in a trade-in program. Some electronics retailers, including Best Buy and Staples, offer opportunities to recycle used phones. These locations will also often accept cell phone accessories such as cases and cords, with some offering gift cards in exchange.
Many communities have recycling kiosks set up for quick disposal of a used cell phone. You can simply drop your old cell phones in, and it will be sent for dismantling and recycling.
Many municipalities have Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) facilities that will accept old electronics, including phones. Check their website or call before heading out to make sure they will accept a used mobile phone.
Many people upgrade to a new cell phone even if their old phone is still working. In this case, your old smartphone can still be used. Although it won’t be able to make calls, it can still to connect to wi-fi, making it a great game or internet device. It can also be used as an emergency phone, as you can always call 911 from a cell phone even without carrier service.
As with any material that impacts the environment, the best way to reduce its impact is to start at the beginning by limiting the amount of resources you use. Be smart when choosing a new device to buy. Consider its functionality, durability, and style. Your best bet is to select a phone that you will plan on using for as long as possible, rather than replacing it every year or so. By purchasing a durable and quality phone that you enjoy using, you’ll reduce your consumption over the long run.
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