How & Why Should We Recycle Our Old Mobile Phones

There are over six billion mobile phones in the world today. Over 30 million new mobile phones are bought in the UK annually. However, the average lifespan of a cell phone is slightly over 18 months. This means that people purchase new mobile phones at least once every two years. The big question is; “what happens to the millions of cellphones that are disconnected each year?”

Some of the mobile phones are sent to other continents such as Africa for reselling; others are donated to charities while a huge chunk of them are recycled. Companies such as Sell My Mobile buy old mobile phones such as Samsung, iPhone 6, and Nokia. In this article, we examine reasons why we should recycle your old cell phones and provide some recycling tips for old mobile phones.

Why do you need to recycle your old phones?

1. Protect our environment

Be it an iPhone 6, or a Samsung handset, all mobile phones contain mercury, lead, and cadmium which are hazardous wastes. This is the reason why mobile phone batteries or any other part shouldn’t end up in a landfill somewhere. Recycling an old iPhone 6 mobile phone means that we are reusing the dangerous materials which could harm the environment.

2. Continuously provide accessible communications

Not all mobile phones that go to recycles are destroyed and dismantled for reuse. Handsets that reach the recyclers while still in good condition simply undergo refurbishment and then resold to people who are willing to purchase them.

This is a great way of helping people who may not be having sufficient funds to buy a new mobile phone to stay connected to friends and family. You can also trade in your old mobile phone for a new one since most of the high street retailers are willing to accept your old mobile phone plus some little money in exchange for a new one.

3. Bring all useful materials back to circulation

Apart from the dangerous substances, some mobile handsets also contain small amounts of precious metals such as gold, platinum, and silver. Reusing such materials limits the mining operations hence creating more space for farming, and other safe land uses.

Mobile Phone recycling Tips

1. Avoid recycling bin

Sometimes you may be tempted to throw your old mobile phone in the recycling bin. The other parts such as the battery and the USB cables shouldn’t be placed in the bin either. If you must dispose of your old phone with the related accessories, then look out for the specific recycle bins labeled “small electronics.” The mobile phones contain elements that are harmful to the environment and may be poisonous if they end up in a landfill. Selling your old mobile to companies such as Sell My Mobile allow the gadgets to be recycled back into the supply stream and aid in the manufacture of something new.

2. Before you recycle, save and delete your data

Evaluate the kind of data contained in your old mobile phone. Before you dispose it to the mobile recycling companies, save your important data on an external storage device and wipe the phone completely.

There is no need to worry if you are unable to delete your data from the phone since any data that remains on the phone will be destroyed before recycling it. No data is recovered from your cell phone since it is dismantled physically and processed for material recovery and there is no part of the gadget that will be sold for reuse.

3. Before you buy any phone, think

Sometimes we are excited at the idea of owning a brand new smartphone, and we may not consider some crucial factors before purchase. Before you buy your next phone, ask yourself whether the retailer or manufacturer will be willing to take it back for recycling for free when it becomes old.

If the manufacturer isn’t willing to recycle it for free, ask yourself whether you are ready to pay for the cell phone to be recycled properly. Disposing of your electronic devices and batteries in the right manner is essential for the well-being of the environment.