More than 70 percent of respondents to a recent survey by the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corp. (RBRC) said they were unaware that cell phones are recyclable, even though nearly 90 percent said they would recycle phones if it was convenient.
The survey of more than 1,000 Americans also showed that the average adult owns 2.4 cell phones, with more than 26 percent owning three or more cell phones. More than 56 percent said they still have their old cell phones. Just 2.3 percent said they recycled their old phones.
RBRC said that by today, Earth Day 2004, its nationwide Call2Recycle program, featuring 30,000 collection locations where consumers can drop off old cell phones, will be in place. The organization plans to launch a national promotional campaign on recycling cell phones this summer.
The Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association also encourages consumers to celebrate Earth Day by recycling phones and noted several carrier initiatives toward that end that also help support charitable causes. For example, Verizon Wireless’ Hopeline program and the wireless industry’s Call to Protect program, in which Cingular Wireless L.L.C. participates, both collect wireless phones to benefit victims of domestic violence. Proceeds from recycled or refurbished phones also benefit groups like Easter Seals and the National Organization on Disability (Sprint’s Project Connect), Keep America Beautiful (AT&T Wireless) and the American Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services program (Nextel).
Verizon Wireless also marked Earth Day by announcing its consolidated and online billing options will reduce the amount of paper used for customer bills by more than 550 sheets per year, preserving more than 7,500 trees. The company said consolidated and online billing also saves more than 3.6 million kilowatt hours of electricity and more than 165,000 pounds of ink per year. Verizon also has a phone recycling program called HopeLine and said it has collected more than 2 million phones to date.
“Verizon Wireless sees a significant environmental benefit through consolidated and online billing, and we are enthusiastic to do our part in conservation by eliminating waste and recycling wireless equipment,” said Denny Strigl, president and chief operating officer of Verizon.
