How to Dispose of Cell Phones

Cell Phone Disposal
Most of us know when to discard, recycle, or compost the items we're parting with, but it seems that many of us are at a loss as to how to dispose properly of our cell phones when we no longer need them. If you are unsure of how to get rid of an old phone, this article will guide you through the process.

Before actually disposing of your phone, it is important to remove your information from it, as phones tend to allow access to sensitive, personal information. The easiest way to rid your phone of this information is to perform a factory reset. If you wish to transfer information from the old device to your new phone, simply do so before clearing the old one.

To ensure your safety, you should next remove your SIM and SD cards, as these cards also store personal information that a factory reset will not erase. You may also wish to keep your SIM card so that you can retain your old phone number by having the card transferred into your new device. It is best to check your phone before disposing of it to ensure that you were successful in removing all of your information from it.

Once your phone has been rid of personal information, you may now safely dispose of it. There are multiple ways this can be done. If your phone is in good condition and functions well, you may wish to donate it. You may donate your phone to someone less fortunate through a charity organization that accepts phones, or you may donate it to an organization that recycles cell phones and uses the resulting funds to benefit people in need.

If your phone is not in good enough condition to donate, do not simply throw it in the trash. Phones contain toxic chemicals that, when a phone is placed in a landfill, may ultimately leach into groundwater and poison the water in surrounding areas. Discarding of phones with the garbage also poses a danger to workers who crush trash. Instead, it is best to recycle your phone. Many mobile phone vendors or technology-centered companies offer programs through which you can recycle your phone; use a search engine to find one near you.

If recycling your phone is not an option, you may discard it. If you must throw away your phone, it is important to do so in a safe, environmentally conscious way. You may leave your phone in a bin designated specifically to the safe and green disposal of phones or other electronics, which can often be found at technology stores. If you have difficulties locating such a receptacle, contact your local health and sanitation agencies and inquire about their preferred means of discarding electronics.

About the Author -
NotePage, Inc. develops SMS, alphanumeric paging and wireless messaging software solutions. https://www.notepage.net