Many of us have them, we move onto the new one and the old one simply makes its way into the bottom draw. Mobile phones are what I am talking about. Do you have one stored away at home?
We estimate that most Australian households have at least two old mobiles that are no longer in use. With an estimated 25 million stored across the country, now is the time to take action, time to use them or recycle them.
MobileMuster provides over 3500 collection points around the country. All mobile phone retail stores including Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and Officeworks have a collection unit. You can take back any brand of mobile phone and all your old accessories that are no longer being used. Simply ask the staff instore for help. If you can’t get to a collection point we offer a free mailing label or satchel.
When MobileMuster receives your old phone it is dismantled, and the components processed to maximize recovery rates. The program is accredited by the federal government and ensures that everything is recycled in an environmentally responsible manner.
All the metal, glass and plastic that has gone into making your mobile phone has the potential for a second life. The program recovers over 95% of the material from old phones and accessories, which are then used in the manufacturing new products. This process reduces the impact of mobile phones on the environment by avoiding future greenhouse gas emissions, saving energy and conserving our natural resources.
Not ready to recycle it, then think about reusing it. There are three simple ways that you can reuse your mobile. Selling it – a great way to recover some of the initial cost of buying the device. With mobiles more expensive than ever before, there are many of us that are happy to buy a used one that is one or two years old. Selling the device within the first two years will recoup the greatest amount of value. After four years, the value of old mobiles drops significantly.
What about passing it on to family of friends? More of us are passing them on also, who you pass it onto depends who you are. Younger mobile phone users tend to pass them on to friends, 25-39 year olds are passing them to their parents, whereas 40-64 year olds are passing them on to their kids. It doesn’t matter who you are passing them on to, the simple act is a great way to extend the use of a mobile.
Or maybe trade it in with your network provider if you are looking at upgrading your handset. They all offer it, and it is a great way of making some money that you can put towards your new phone and monthly bill.
Don’t let the data on your mobile stop you from passing them on or selling them. There are plenty of resources online to help you better manage your data. MobileMuster has developed two how to videos that take you through the steps.
To date, MobileMuster has recycled over 1,500 tonnes of mobile phones and accessories, including 14 million handsets and batteries. If you have an old mobile phone at home going to waste think about recycling it today. You will be helping reduce the impact on the environment of tomorrow.