Why Recycle My Cell Phone?
Cell phones in landfills can leach
toxics into the environment. |
The potential human health and environmental impacts
of cell phone waste is grim.
Cell phones are potentially hazardous waste because
they contain lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic. If
thrown in the trash and sent to incinerators or landfills,
environmental contamination can occur from combustion
and leaching into soil and groundwater.
Sadly, less than 2% of old cell phones are being recycled today -- we are calling on the public to help raise the profile of this important issue!
Some alarming facts about cell phones you might not
know:
Photo: Chris Jordan |
The EPA estimates cell phones will be thrown away
at a rate of 130 million a year by 2005 that equals
65,000 tons of waste containing toxic metals!
- There are more than 500 million used cell phones
in the U.S. sitting in people's drawers or in our
landfills.
Learn more about how the Recycle My Cell Phone
campaign takes care of your phone:
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