5 Simple Ways to Recycle Your Old Mobile Phone Safely

We’re living in an era where we get to witness history as it happens and barely keep up with how fast everything is changing. Once changes are mentioned, technology often comes to mind, given that AI has entered our lives and the world can change overnight. To maximize the benefits of these technological changes, you need the best devices, equipped with hardware that delivers fast performance and powerful processing. 

As a result, people are rushing to upgrade their devices as soon as they are released. While a Vodafone UK study found that the average Brit changes their phone every 4 years when it is not accidentally damaged, another study found that 45% of UK consumers would rather get a new phone than repair a damaged one. 

Without getting into the depressing details of how environmentally harmful this practice is, let’s leave you with this thought: manufacturing ONE single smartphone produces up to 70kg of CO2 emissions, according to the European Environment Agency (and most of those end up in landfills once they’re no longer in use!).

So, what to do?

First, if the manufacturing of new phones is an avoidable harm, let’s focus on what we can control: how to recycle old mobile phones safely for you and the environment. 

In this post, we’re sharing the simplest and most effective ways to recycle your old mobile phone. But first, let’s talk about why you MUST recycle.

Your Mobile Phone’s Future: E-Waste or New Life

You may not think it’s a common practice to toss an old phone in the bin, but, believe it or not, 25 million mobile phones go to the bin yearly in the UK; that, of course, doesn’t include the several million others being hoarded in drawers for fear of data theft. 

When mobile phones are thrown away incorrectly, the most likely scenario is that they’ll end up in a landfill, be set on fire, and produce more toxic fumes, not to mention the waste of gold and other precious metals in them (yes, there’s gold in your smartphone)

To avoid this lose-lose situation, you should start recycling your old mobile phones safely and correctly. 

The 5 Simple Ways to Recycle Your Old Mobile Phones Safely

There are, of course, more ways to recycle or give a new life to an old mobile phone, but these five are the easiest. 

1. Donate to Charity or NGOs

Your old smartphone may be useless or too slow for you, but it can be a much-appreciated gift for someone in need. You don’t have to go looking for individuals needing a new phone. Choose a trusted charity, or visit an NGO page to learn how to send old devices that have been sitting idle in your drawers. This way, you’re helping the planet and making fellow humans happy!

2. Use The Official Recycling Programs

Smartphone manufacturers like Apple and Samsung, as well as network carriers such as O2, have recycling programs that aim to minimize the environmental impact of discarded phones by refurbishing or repurposing parts, depending on the device’s condition. Through the manufacturer’s or carrier’s official website, you can arrange to have your old mobile phones collected and handled by experts. 

3. Sell or Trade-in

In addition to official phone manufacturers, several reputable businesses offer you the opportunity to turn your old mobile phones into cash. You can sell the phone for some money or trade it in for a better phone, paying only the price difference. This way, you can make a profit and help the environment. These services will handle picking up your mobile phones (most offer free shipping), safely wiping your data, renewing the device, and reselling it.

4. Repurpose at Home

If you’re not 100% ready to part ways with your old phone for any reason, don’t let it sit around without a purpose. Try using one of its properly functioning features. Consider using it as a standalone alarm clock or hanging it by your front door as a security camera. One of the favorite uses of old phones for people who like cooking is to set it up permanently in the kitchen for viewing recipes while cooking, and to double as a timer. 

5. Work With Certified E-Waste Recyclers

If the reason you’re keeping your old phone at home is that you worry about your personal data stored on the phone without having a real use for the device anymore or the phone itself in no condition to be traded in or donated, a great solution would be to utilize the service or a certified E-waste recycling company like iWaste or E-Cycle where they ensure safely and completely whiping your data and safely disposing of the device for you. Here are five simple ways to safely recycle your old phones. If you are still unsure which direction to choose, consider our refurbished phone experts in the UK, such as QwikFone, where your old mobiles are tested, cleaned, refurbished, and professionally wiped of all data so they can be given a new life with a new user. Who says working for the environment doesn’t pay off!