Used Cell Phones - What should you do with them?
So you’ve just purchased a new cellular phone and you may be wondering what should I do with my old one? Some people may have several used cell phones lying around. After a while, it is possible to accumulate them, since everyone is updating and buying new models regularly. There are more than 150 million people in the United States who use a cellular phone. The average life span of a cellular phone is eighteen months to two year. In a reader’s poll taken by Wireless Week, sixty-two percent of people said they store away their old cellular phone at home rather than throwing them away. That means that there are a lot of used cell phones floating around out there. So, what should be done with them?
CTIA’s Wireless Foundation has a program called “Call to Protect” is a great place to look into. The Call to Protect program collects old, refurbished models and donates them to women and victims of domestic violence so that the have something they can use in the event of an emergency. Since 1996, 1.6 million were collected. In addition to collecting and donating used cell phones, funds were collected from the sale of the refurbished models, which added to the profits of the cause. If there is no need to refurbish a phone, it will be resold for profit which is given to the charity. Often times, the used cell phones are sold to developing countries where land lines are few in number.
Other organizations with programs that donate used cell phones are Charitable Recycling, Collective Good, Verizon, and Wireless HopeLine.
Another reason to donate used cell phones instead of throwing them away is the negative impact it has on the environment. In several states, including Florida, New Jersey, Maryland, Vermont, Maine, Iowa, and Minnesota, it is illegal to dispose of cellular phone batteries made with nickel cadmium (NI-Cd) in the trash. Today, most batteries are made with a less toxic lithium ion; however, throwing any batteries or used cell phones in the trash is still not the best environmental option.
If you would like more information on how you can donate used cell phones, check out the programs mentioned. You may also want to check with your employer and contact the human resources department to see if they have a cellular phone recycling or donation program in place. Why not help someone out by donating your old cellular phone today—it could possibly save a life.