Mazuma Mobile Offer New Lives to Old Phones
According to online mobile phone recycling company, Mazuma Mobile, around 20 million handsets are upgraded in the UK annually. In December 2008 the BBC issued figures that said around 23% of those with new mobiles simply threw the old ones in the bin. That’s around 4.6 MILLION old mobile phones finding their way to the local landfill each year.
Who Cares?
Recycling is part of everyday modern life; separate paper and plastic, old shoes go in the shoe bank, reusable shopping totes from supermarkets etc. And when it comes to improperly discarded electrical devices, a storm is brewing.
Currently it’s estimated that around 40% of the lead in landfills comes from electronic devices. Lead, like other toxic compounds found in the likes of mobile phones, is harmful to plants and animals, and can irreparably damage fragile ecosystems. Because of the high content of non-toxic materials (glass, plastic etc) present in mobile phones, it’s estimated the UK’s landfills could see a build-up of 460 MILLION handsets over the next hundred years, none of which will have degraded significantly.
What’s Re-Homing?
Mazuma Mobile is a great resource for those looking to recycle their old phones ethically and for a bit of cash. Around 95% of the handsets bought are refurbished and sold on cheaply in struggling economies in the likes of Africa, India, Pakistan and China. Mazuma Mobile recycle Blackberry phone, Motorola, Nokia, Alcatel, Apple – pretty much every brand out there – for re-homing in struggling communities.
