Almost all the materials used to manufacture a cellphone can be recovered to make a new product. Metals, plastics, and rechargeable batteries from recycled cell phones are turned into new materials and products. Cellphones contain a number of different metals that are recovered in the recycling process. The recovered metals are then used by a number of different industries.

The plastics recovered from cellphones are recycled into plastic components for new electronic devices or other plastic products such as garden furniture, license plate frames, non-food containers, and replacement automotive parts.

When the rechargeable battery can be longer used, the battery can be recycled into other rechargeable battery products. 

Upward of 140 million cellphones are replaced each year. Some of these end up in landfills because their owners aren't aware the electronics contain metals and other materials that can be hazardous to the environment if not disposed of properly.

Callphone circuitry and displays can contain toxic compounds like arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, copper, and lead. The plastic shells of the cell phones have also been treated with brominated flame retardants. Compounds like these are environmental threats we want to keep out of our landfills.

Check the National Geographic article about cellphone recycling and saving gorillas. It is important that we understand the impact we have on other inhabitants of this plant.

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The program is of no cost to our organization. The company organizing the program will supply and ship the collection bins free of charge and donate $2 for each cellphone, iPhone, Blackberry, PDA, or MP3 player collect. 

Cellphones collected as part of our program are refurbished and donated or recycled depending on the model & condition of phone.None of the material from recycled phones is shipped overseas.

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