These days we are all more aware of our environment and the impact that our lifestyles have on it. Whether we try and limit the use of our cars or recycle drinks cans, we all know that each person doing something quite small can make a big difference. In the last couple of years a European law has come into force that states that all manufacturers of large electrical goods should provide some means of safe disposal of them once their useful life is over. This is not so with mobile phones.
Mobile phones contain some hazardous chemicals including Arsenic and Cadmium that can be hazardous to human and animal health if they get into our environment. While there may be only trace amounts of these materials in each phone, the sheer volume of discarded mobile phones means that their impact on the environment can be significant.
Mobile service providers often offer their customers upgrades to their handset, but are not held responsible for what happens to the old mobile phone. These unused mobiles are generally kept in drawers and boxes in people homes, neglected and gathering dust. Many of these phones are in good working order and can be reused.
This is where mobile phone recycling firms come in. They offer to pay cash for mobiles and recycle broken ones free of charge. This allows phone users to cash in on the value of their old phone instead of leaving it to gather dust in a drawer whilst also keeping the toxic materials out of landfill sites.
