[NEW] Blog Post: Phone Recycling

[J_PM]

The Call to Recycle: Transforming Old Phones into New Opportunities

In an age where technology evolves at lightning speed, most of us have old mobile phones collecting dust in drawers. But what if those forgotten handsets could help reduce waste, save energy, and even give back to those in need? Mobile phone recycling is more than just a good deed for the planet, it's a powerful tool for sustainable change. Here’s why and how you can get involved.

The Impact of Mobile Waste

Every year, millions of phones are discarded or replaced, leading to a significant amount of electronic waste. Rare materials used in phones, such as gold, silver, and palladium, are finite and require energy-intensive mining. By recycling, we can reclaim these resources and reduce the need for new mining operations.

Moreover, electronic waste can be harmful to the environment. Batteries and electronic components contain toxic substances that can contaminate soil and water. Proper recycling ensures these materials are handled safely.

The Recycling Process: A Journey from Drawer to New Devices

Recycling a mobile phone is a fascinating journey. Here's what typically happens:

1. Collection: Phones are collected at designated recycling points or through mail-back programs.
2. Sorting: Phones are sorted into those that can be refurbished and those to be recycled for materials.
3. Refurbishing: Usable phones may be cleaned, repaired, and resold or donated to those in need.
4. Material Recovery: Phones marked for recycling undergo material recovery where they are dismantled and their components melted down to recover precious metals and other materials.
5. Transformation: Recovered materials are then transformed into new products, from phones to jewelry, and even art pieces!

How You Can Recycle Your Mobile Phone

Find a Recycling Program

Many mobile operators and electronics stores offer recycling programs. Some non-profit organizations and local governments also have drop-off points for e-waste.

Prepare Your Phone

Before recycling your phone, make sure to back up your data, perform a factory reset to remove personal information, and remove any SIM or SD cards.

Spread the Word

Encourage others to recycle their phones too. Awareness is key to increasing recycling rates.

The Benefits Beyond the Environment

Recycling your mobile phone also has social benefits. Refurbished phones can provide access to technology for those who might not afford brand-new devices, bridging the digital divide. Some recycling programs also fund charitable causes, turning old tech into new help for others.

Upcycling Ideas

Instead of simply recycling, consider the concept of 'upcycling' - where old technology is repurposed for new uses. Here are a few creative suggestions:

• DIY Home Security Camera: Use apps that can turn an old smartphone into a security camera, allowing for live streaming of your home for security purposes.
• Dedicated Media Device: Transform it into a dedicated music or video player, or even a digital cookbook for the kitchen.
• Children's Learning Tool: Install educational apps and use the device as a learning tool for children, minus a SIM card to avoid distractions.
• Car GPS Tracker: With the appropriate app, an old phone can become a permanent GPS device for your vehicle.

Wrapping Up

Your old mobile phone could have a second life or be the key to precious materials for new products. By taking the simple step to recycle, you're contributing to a more sustainable world and helping to pave the way for a greener future. Answer the call to recycle, and together, we can make a difference.

[z34_eric]

These are great ideas to use old phones after upgrading!

[JP013]

Great ideas here! thanks for the inspiration. I will be following up on some of these ideas.

[ccreight]

I typically hang on to old phones in case my phone has to go in for a repair. Also pass them on to my kids. But otherwise this is a great reminder about recycling electronic waste for the environment! Thanks for the post 

[benpinto]

There are verified recycling companies that are certified that you can Google 

[demetrioparrila]

Thanks for the information

[66]

Agreed!

[dualcells]

In practice, I find that I hang on to my previous phone to check out alternative images, like GrapheneOS or LineageOS while keeping them in a usable state in case someone I know needs a phone.

[Conkar]

Use one found to on the thing ot subject you want to track and and then use another phone to log in with find my app or any equivalent to Apple or whatever equivalent to Android and use that to track the other phone as the one way I can think of. Probably be cheaper just to get a tracking tile 😊 hope that helps 

[Golden_Canuck]

I think donating by far is the best option. By donating a phone to someone in need, you could be saving a life!🥰

[Aashisb]

Thank you for sharing! Will keep this in mind 🙂

[Reachah]

Great ideas!! Thanks for sharing!!

[mx31]

recycling is cool but so is keeping old tech for nostalgia

[66]

I feel that this initiative has been floating around for a while but no meaningful uptake is seen yet. Electronic recycling is definitely something we all need to work on.

[RetiredGuy1]

As today is Earth Day 2024, I thought I’d share this link which provides some useful options for repurposing a mobile phone:

https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/uses-for-your-old-smartphone

[5Box]

To have the device be a GPS tracker you just need to enable the feature to locate it, for iPhone's that's Find My, and Android should be Find My Device. That will probably work as well as other Bluetooth tracking devices, but the battery life will not be anywhere close to as good.
If still want to try it and you want it to work regardless of the devices around it, you'd need to get a data plan for the phone. There are ways to get small data plans for cheap, aside from some sort of family plan. If your phone can take and esim (some android phones can convert esim to a physical sim, check out esim.me or esim.5ber.com) there are some cheap esim plans out there such as $7US for 1GB over 2 years (https://www.eskimo.travel/buy-top-up) or this new provider that has a free low data plan (https://seeek.co/nada/?v=3e8d115eb4b3).
I haven't tried those esim providers, and I feel like a Bluetooth based tracker might be a better option, but you should be able to do it relatively easily.

[JBBurl2023]

How can I use an old phone as a gps tracker?

[WinnieLacesso]

I too love the idea of phone recycle but... got a very old 18yr-old-phone Motorola 120c (found in basement) - don't know how to recycle it, tips/pointers welcome! (Can it be brought somewhere in Calgary for recycling??)

[romrumrira]

I love the idea of phone recycle 😄

[Ellaland]

Before sending out your old phone to recycle, don't forget to back up all your pictures and information.  And don't forget to factory setting it. 

[Korth_]

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@cbPM51 wrote:

Check out you tube for your phone battery replacement.

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Check out iFixit. Batteries, parts, tools, kits, guides, videos.

But even if you could keep the hardware alive forever, you can't actually use the phone for most of the things it was meant to do. It's still a phone you can use for calling, if the networks haven't phased out your phone's radio technology yet. But the operating system gets too old, the browser isn't compatible with the internet anymore, you can't even get to the app store sites to upgrade obsolete versions of your software to slightly-less-obsolete versions which still won't work with anything.

And the simple fact of the matter is that 995 out of every 1000 consumers aren't going to bother. They want a new phone every year, if their "non-replaceable" battery dies then they won't bother with nerd tech stuff, they'll have a reason to rush out and buy a newer better working phone.

[cbPM51]

Many phones can be extended by replacing the bsttery.

You tube shows hiw.

Example samsung A10

BATTERY $20 including required tools.

This is designated  "a phone with unreplacable battery" on many cell rview sites.  A ploy to get you to buy new phone.

Check out you tube for your phone battery replacement.

[Korth_]

@Amrita-B 

I would suggest you work a day or two in a place like e-Cycle Solutions.

You will see bins of phones - they extract the batteries then feed the rest into the grinder. In some instances, they are required to destroy everything because they have contracts with Telus (or whomever) which obligate them to protect user data and privacy, etc - if something comes from Telus (or whomever) then it's mindlessly destroyed, no exception, no excuse, no concern at all for whatever it might be or whatever value it might have - for legal reasons.

You will see things like brand new TVs, phones, laptops, etc - still in box, unopened - getting pulverized because a newer model came out, or even the same model with newer firmware, and it's cheaper for Walmart to document the destruction than to pay for two-way shipping between here and the manufacturer.

You will see a few cutting edge facilities which grind everything down, boil it in cyanide acid, extract the gold and silver and copper and other precious metals. They're after the precious metals, literally 0.01% to 0.1% of the total bulk and mass. The other 99.9% to 99.99% still goes to landfill - but as a processed, acidic, toxic powder or toxic sludge.

e-Waste is terrible stuff yes. But efforts to recycle it are not at all about the environment. They're about the money. When there's not enough money to motivate those efforts then the environment just has to suffer. They just keep burying it. Though not too deeply, of course, since digging holes costs time and money.

[Amrita-B]

Electronic recycling is such a slept on activity that is reliable, sustainable and eco friendly, something the world is trying to achieve is every sector. I can personally vouch for this as I have been Electronic recycling for YEARS simply by purchasing only refurbished items such as phones and computer parts. 

From my experience, Amazon's refurbished items have been proven to be very reliable with zero issues. Items comes practically brand new. 

I encourage anyone who is considering Electronic recycling/purchasing a  refurbished item to go for it! Its worth it. You'll save a load of money without sacrificing anything really and help the Earth be a better place! 

[esel]

Electronic recycling is definitely something we all need to work on, I can't count how many old devices I have lying around

[MATTHEWS]

Cheers!

[JenCanada]

Thanks for sharing this comment

"Moreover, electronic waste can be harmful to the environment. Batteries and electronic components contain toxic substances that can contaminate soil and water. Proper recycling ensures these materials are handled safely."

I have kept my old phones because I have kept all the photos on that old cell phones

#upcycle #storage #photos

[Mrbeans]

The phone it forward link you sent is a great idea which I've never heard of before, thanks for letting us know about it.

[wavid]

I'd like to use my phone like I use my car - ie: buy new and drive it into the ground. That said, with the pace of tech advancements these days they get what feels like an early retirement when security updates are no longer issued for a device.

Upcycling is the way I tend to go - I just shifted my old phone to a dedicated media device docked in an old speaker system (both getting new life!).

[Korth_]

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@Cluthe2019 wrote:

I think as long as they are sold "at cost" (ie, to recoup the costs to repair) that would be ethical..

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I disagree with this. It's like driving to a charity to drop of a $$$$ donation. But charging them gas money when you arrive.

When businesses start digging through their sofas looking for loose change, it's time for them to re-examine their objectives and their business models.

[5Box]

You can easily donate your phone to the blind and even get a tax credit!
CNIB has a program to do this, I've donated a few phones. 
https://www.phoneitforward.ca/

If you want to sell your phone this company makes it super easy, free estimate using their app, and they send you a box to ship it to them. Couldn't be easier. My co-workers have bought a few phones from here.
Their slogan is "We pay more than any trade-in offer". This is probably true aside from the rare trade-in deals towards new phones where they'll give you $50 credit for any old phone, working or not.
https://www.getorchard.com/sell/