OTTAWA – With Earth Day just around the corner on April 22, why not mark the occasion by recycling your old cell phone – and get a little spring cleaning done at the same time?
According to the 2012 National Cell Phone Recycling Study, released today, 41% of old cell phones are stashed away in junk drawers as opposed to being recycled. That’s just one reason why Recycle My Cell, Canada’s free cell phone recycling program, is encouraging all Canadians to participate in this year’s Earth Day by recycling their old mobile devices.
Consumers can visit the bilingual website and enter their postal code to locate the 10 drop-off locations closest to them where their devices will be accepted, regardless of brand or condition. The site also provides printable postage-paid labels to use for mailing wireless devices if a consumer is unable to get to a drop-off location. All cell phones, smartphones, wireless PDAs, pagers, accessories, and rechargeable cell phone batteries are accepted.
The free program is run by the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA), in conjunction with cell phone carriers and handset manufacturers, who have come together to raise awareness about the importance of cell phone recycling. “Canadians from coast to coast love their mobile devices, but it is imperative that these devices are recycled responsibly at the end their life cycle,” said CWTA president and CEO Bernard Lord in a release. “We want to ensure that all wireless devices stay out of Canada’s landfills, making a cleaner and better Canada for all of us.”
Other key findings from the 2012 National Cell Phone Recycling Study include:
- Only 12% of used mobile devices in Canada are currently being recycled; the rest are stored, sold, gifted or thrown out
- 93% of cell phone owners will purchase a new cell phone as opposed to a used or refurbished device
- The average cell phone user keeps their new device for 22 months
- 71% of respondents indicated they were likely to recycle their cell phone in the future
Businesses can also support the Recycle My Cell program by hosting a drop-off location. The registration form can be accessed online and all materials are provided at no cost. Click here for more information.
Recycle My Cell’s partners include: Bell, BlackBerry, Dell Canada Inc., Eastlink, GEEP Inc., GREENTEC, LG Electronics Canada, Inc., Lynx Mobility, Mobilicity, Motorola Mobility, MTS, Nokia, Rogers Communications, Samsung Electronics Canada Inc., SaskTel, Sims Recycling Solutions, Sony Mobile Communications, TBayTel, TELUS, Videotron, Virgin Mobile Canada and WIND Mobile.
Proceeds from the program also contribute to numerous local charities, such as Food Banks Canada.
