Gadget growth fuels eco concerns
Mobile phones and other mobile devices (pagers, PDAs) present a growing threat to the environment. As of 2007, there are more than 750 million mobile phones waiting to be recycled in the US; either in drawers, or already in the waste stream. Another 150+ million or so will be added this year and even more next year. Once in the waste stream, these devices may leak Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Arsenic and other toxic substances into the water supply. Municipalities often incinerate their waste, instantly putting these toxic elements into the air, and they return to earth in rain water. Since life on Earth depends on water, the threat is clear.
HAZARDOUS WASTE
1: Lead in cathode ray tube and solder
2: Arsenic in older cathode ray tubes
5: Antimony trioxide as flame retardant
4: Polybrominated flame retardants in plastic casings, cables and circuit boards
3: Selenium in circuit boards as power supply rectifier
6: Cadmium in circuit boards and semiconductors
7: Chromium in steel as corrosion protection
8: Cobalt in steel for structure and magnetivity
9: Mercury in switches and housing
CollectiveGood and RipMobile are founded on principles of environmental responsibility. Through recycling programs, they keep tons of toxic waste from entering landfills every month. CollectiveGood “closes the loop” by recycling everything from the phones, their batteries, chargers, accessories – even the boxes and donation forms.
How you can help
"We saw the opportunity to meet the additional demand we have on the site for used computers and saw the opportunity too to good some good for the environment."
But it is not just computers that cause a problem for the environment.
Teenagers get a new mobile every 11 months, adults every 18 months and a 15 million handsets are replaced in total each year. Yet, only 15% are actually recycled.
This year, a predicted two billion people worldwide will own a mobile, according to a Deloitte report.
RIPMobile, could help in targeting younger generations with recycling messages.
You are rewarded for returning unused phones. You get cash or gift cards to stores like Circuit City, Karmaloop,
"This system allows for the transformation of a drawer full of unused mobile phones into anything from music to clothes to electronics or games," said Seth Heine from RIPMobile.
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