Businesses and Retailers: New Bookings Process March 2025
MobileMuster Process Update March 2025
To ensure the safety of everyone in the logistics process, from March 2025 every mobile phone collection booked by our collection partners will need to be packed into our specially supplied fire-resistant bags and boxes. We’re doing this to ensure we continue to deliver a safe, secure and reliable mobile phone recycling service with respect to the increasing risk of transporting lithium-ion batteries.
Read our full instructional document here.
FAQ’s are at the bottom of this page.
Starting With An Updated Booking Form
The updated booking form will have a new design and will be easier to use. The updated form will now contain an additional confirmation at the end of the process to ensure everything is correct.
For carrier stores that collect expanded program products (networking equipment, etc), there will be a new, separate section that will automatically appear based on your site ID. Ensure to fill this in when returning expanded program materials. You can leave this blank if you’re only recycling phones this time – or – leave the phone section blank if you’re only returning expanded program products.
If your store only collects mobile phones, you will not see the expanded program elements in the form.
New Bags, New Boxes, New Process
From March 2025, do not pack your phones into a box in advance of booking.
To ensure the safety of everyone in the logistics process, every mobile phone pickup from March will need to be packed into our specially supplied fire-resistant bags and boxes. These will reduce the risk of batteries causing a fire-resistant incident in transit and help keep everyone safe.
Once you complete the booking form, you will need to wait for your fire-resistant bag and new, specially branded box to arrive. These will normally arrive next day for Metro locations, and in up to 3 days for regional stores.
Once received, pack any mobile phones you have into the fire-resistant bag provided, then place the fire-resistant bag into the supplied box. The new boxes will have a dangerous goods label already attached.
If you are sending back expanded program materials, you can pack those into any box you have handy, and they will be picked up once you finalise your booking in the next step. Ensure not to mix mobile phones and expanded program materials in the same boxes.
Two Steps to Book a Pickup
After you initially fill in the booking form, the fire-resistant bags and boxes will be sent to your store, and you will receive an email with a link to arrange a courier to pick them up once they’re packed. Click this link once you have received the fire-resistant bag/box and finished packing them.
If you underestimate the no. of bags/boxes needed, please make another booking or wait until your collection box is full again. Each bag/box can hold up to 20kg of mobile phones.
So, to summarise – to book a pickup for mobile phone recycling from March 2025 onwards, you must:
- When your bin is full, place your order for our new fire-resistant bags/boxes via the updated booking form (when updated in March)
- Once the new fire-resistant bag/box has arrived, pack the phones into the bag, then place the bag into the supplied box.
- Click the link that was sent when you ordered the bag/box. It will book the courier, and create the con note for the delivery for you to print and attach to the box. You will receive a reminder to click this link after 2 days.
- The box will be picked up next day in metro areas, and within 3 days for regional areas.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to us at mobilemuster@amta.org.au
Frequently Asked Questions
| Why has the process changed? | There is increasing risk with transporting lithium ion batteries. Courier companies are now requiring additional safety elements to transport lithium ion batteries across the country. To ensure the safety of the couriers and receivers of the devices, these bags will ensure that even in the unlikely event of a thermal incident, the damage will be greatly reduced. |
| Can I order fire-resistant bags and boxes in advance? | Due to the size and scope of our program, we are unable to provide fire-resistant bags in advance of booking. Only a limited no. are in circulation at any one time, so these need to be used and returned as quickly as possible. |
| Can I still use satchels to send back phones? | Yes, satchels can still be used for small collections. |
| How long does it take to deliver the fire-resistant bags and boxes? | Next day for metro areas, up to 3 days for regional areas. |
| How long does it take the courier to come pick up the box? | Next day for metro areas, up to 3 days for regional areas. |
| How will the courier know when to pick up the box? | You will receive a confirmation email when you fill in the booking form. At the bottom of the email will be a link to book the courier to pick up the bag and box. |
| What about Exanded Program products like modems? | There is no change to this process. As they do not contain lithium ion batteries, they can be returned in any cardboard box. |