Mobile Phones Recycling: Methods and Ways to Recycle

Do you throw your old phone away? Or do you Reuse/Recycle them? Mobile phone models are always reforming and progressing. Technology looks fascinating when they are reformed and newly launched. This fascinating new technology makes individuals get some more. While purchasing a newly launched phone and using the new tech gadgets, the old ones remain unused and get thrown away.

Thrown phones create environmental hazards as they come to contact with chemicals and affect entirely local ecosystems and potentially drinking water. In addition, the phone contains rare and precious metals (for example, lead, nickel, mercury, and chromium) that, if left to degrade in landfills, can harm the environment, wildlife, and even humans in a vast number. So, Rather than throwing mobile phones away or filling the drawer with old batteries, chargers, and cables. Instead, we can repurpose old devices till we have to dispose of them completely.

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Before understanding why repurposing is essential, let us understand what components and elements your phone has that affect your health and the environment.

What is inside your phone?

Have you ever wondered what it contains to make an ideally-looking phone of yours? Much of your cell phone is plastics, including the smaller components. The cell phone contains aluminium, cadmium, chromium, copper, gold, iron, lead, lithium, nickel, silver, tin, zinc etc., which is injuries to health. In addition to plastic pollution, many of the metals found in mobile phones are toxic to humans and other animals, with several potentially carcinogenic.

When possible, cell phone recycling programs keep devices intact and repurpose them. The latter method is the most secure and health-conscious way to dispose of dead or damaged phones. In addition, parts can be sold individually or shredded and recycled with other materials. Metal components, for example, can be melted and reconstituted.

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Repurposing old devices

You have other methods to reuse your phone: keep it and repurpose it yourself. A smartphone without cell service can still be helpful in various ways, such as storing and playing music like an iPod or even streaming media and surfing the internet when connected to WiFi.

There are some other ways also to repurpose your phone:

Use it as eReader

You can use your mobile phone as an ebook. You can download an ebook, pdf and many others on your phone and read them. The most popular eReaders are the iBooks and Kindle apps, but there are others. After using an ebook, you don't need to visit the library as you carry a library of books in your pockets. The old phone can also make a great backup when you are travelling.

Entertainment hub

You can download many songs, movies, podcasts and games on your mobile phone and make it pocket friendly. Because you won't receive calls and your mp3s won't have to compete with more data, this is an excellent alternative to your regular phone.

You can watch half a TV series on a single flight now that you can download and watch movies from iTunes, Amazon, and Netflix.

Use as a camera

You can use your mobile phone to showcase your photography skill. The iPhone, Samsung, Nothing phone and others have the best camera features. Though your phone is retired, the camera can still work. You can learn photography, videography and many more. You can edit and share the photographs and video graph as well.

Before you hand over an expensive point-and-shoot camera or a new smartphone, consider the clicking and editing from the unused phone.

Use it for emergencies.

Even if you don’t have an active mobile phone, you can still use it to call an emergency. By law, all cell phones require to allow you to dial triple zero(000), even without a service; therefore, ensure the device is always charged so you can dial triple Zero (000) during an emergency.

Caution: If you are not living in Australia, the calling to triple Zero won’t help you. You should call to dial 112 for the international standard emergency number.

For specifical- You can dial 911 in countries like the unites states and Canada.

Present it to someone

Unless a cell phone is no longer functional, the best way to dispose mobile is to find someone else who wants or needs it. That may happen if you return a working phone to a carrier, manufacturer, or retailer whose trade-in and take-back programs refurbish phones for resale.

Recycling your phone

(Image Credit: mobilemuster.com.au)

If your mobile phone's condition is worse, you can simply recycle them. But before recycling your phone, you need to prepare for refurbishing and resale to another consumer.

• Back up your data completely
• Thoroughly clean the phone, i.e.  hardware and software
• Carry out a proper reset
• Remove the SD and SIM cards
• Test the essential functions of the phone
• Return for recycling or refurbishment

Recycle your cell phones

Start by checking with the cellular carrier. Most retailers' manufacturing or other electronic recycling operations will have take-back programs.

You can also donate to various charities; for example, retailers accept cell phones for recycling and use the proceeds of old technology for new technology. Other organisations use cell phone recycling to raise funds for soldiers, victims of domestic violence, and healthcare workers in developing countries, among other causes.

Not limited to recycling, there are other ways of safely disposing of mobile phone technology.

Drop-off sites

Call2Recycle is a national consumer battery recycling program that accepts all cell phones and cell phone batteries regardless of size, make, model or age.Call2Recycle collaborates with thousands of retail and government partners across the country to establish a battery and cell phone recycling network.

Several thousand more drop-off sites are also available via eco ATM. This enclosure buys your old phone from you; depending on the type of phone and its condition, they also pay cash. On their websites, both Call2Recycle and Eco ATM have locator tools to help you find the nearest drop-off location.

Use recycling counters

Organisations such as coffee shops, local government offices, restaurants and a variety of other local businesses may offer public recycling counters. These recycling counters allow everyone to stop by so that individuals can quickly stop and drop off all kinds of electronic devices for recycling. There is no charge for the services, and the electronics dropped by the individuals will be disposed of in an eco-friendly manner.

Mobile phones are becoming highly advanced in terms of performance and capabilities, and obtaining one of the users of the most recent device intends to buy it. As a result, phones brought at every purchase add to the collection of phones.

Not-used /new phones and batteries can become dangerous when exposed to extreme temperatures or moisture. Use your mobile phone till its maturity period. After that, please take it to the recycler located at your nearest distance.

Your single steps towards Reuse, Reducing and Recycling can help to live in a better and more sustainable environment.

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