Cellular Recycler's Environmental Stance

According to J.D. Power and Associates, the average consumer upgrades his or her phone every 16 to 18 months. This has resulted in an estimated 93,000 tons of "retired" cell phones in the U.S. Less than 10% of those retired phones are recycled (source: CTIA) leaving a potential 83,700 tons of cell phones sitting idle in our homes or in landfills. These cell phones contain hazardous substances that can potentially leach into groundwater. Several of the known hazardous substances in cell phones and their effects are:

• Brominated Flame Retardants - Persistent and toxic; leaches into soil and groundwater.
• Lead - Adversely impacts the central nervous system, immune system and kidneys; linked to developmental abnormalities.
• Beryllium - One of the most toxic metals to inhale; causes irreversible and sometimes fatal scarring of the lungs.
• Tantalum - Minimal toxicity testing done; possibly radioactive.
• Arsenic - Causes damage to nerves, skin and digestive system; can lead to death.
• Copper - Toxic to fish and marine life; causes liver damage and death in humans.

One of the best ways to prevent these hazardous substances from further impacting our environment is to sign up for a free Cellular Recycler collection kit. Give your local school, business, or charitable organization an environmentally friendly option to dispose of their old cell phones. You'll be doing the environment a favor and raising much-needed funds at the same time.

Commitment to E-waste Diversion

Cell phones are safe for us to use on a day-to-day basis because the hazardous substances are only released if the phone is disposed of improperly at the end of its useful life. That's why Cellular Recycler has made every effort to 1) collect and extend the life of working cell phones or non-working cell phones in need of repair, and 2) ensure that the remaining non-working "junk" phones that end up at our facility are handled in a way which meets or exceeds environmental standards.

Our two goals for e-waste diversion break down like this. Approximately 80% of the cell phones and accessories we receive are usable items that can be refurbished and resold. Cellular Recycler's refurbishment partners process and repair the phones, accessories and batteries so that they can be re-sold for their original intended use. The remaining 20% of materials are considered e-waste, because they are irrecoverable. These "junk" materials contain precious metals that can be extracted and re-used in the production of new products. In order to recycle and dispose of these materials appropriately, Cellular Recycler partners with smelters that are certified to process e-waste according to EPA standards. No e-waste is shipped outside of the U.S.

Cellular Recycler operates in accordance with the CTIA Guidelines for Recycling/Materials Recovery from End of Life Wireless Devices. For a more detailed explanation of how we process phones and our downstream vendors, check out our Materials Flowchart.

Wind Powered for Clean Energy

Since 2007, Cellular Recycler has purchased wind power to power our Boulder headquarters. Wind power is a clean, efficient, renewable form of energy, and we are proud to purchase it to reduce our environmental footprint. Cellular Recycler purchases our wind power for the following reasons:

• Wind energy provides more jobs per dollar invested than any other energy technology (source: US Dept of Energy, 2006)
• Wind energy is the fastest growing source of power on the planet (source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory)
• Wind turbines are able to generate electricity over 95% of the time (source: GreenEnergyTV)

Environmental Organizations We Support

		The Colorado Association for Recycling is a non-profit organization formed as the independent voice of public, private, and citizen recyclers in Colorado.
		The National Recycling Coalition is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and improvement of recycling, and also source reduction, composting, and reuse by providing technical information, education, training, outreach, and advocacy services to its members in order to conserve resources and benefit the environment.