Like most people these days, you may be quite aware of mobile phone recycling. Indeed, you may well know that it is quite possible to make quick, easy and sometimes even quite significant sums of money from sending off your unused Nokia, iPhone and Blackberry phones to us here at Mazuma Mobile.
However, you may not know exactly why or how mobile phones get recycled
Why mobile phones get recycled
Unfortunately, the physical components that are contained within modern mobile phones can be harmful to the environment if they are left to decay. Therefore, mobile phones need to be recycled otherwise the harmful substances within them will contaminate our planet when they end up rotting away at the bottom of a landfill site. In addition to preventing the release of harmful substances, the recycling of mobile phones can also help to retain valuable materials such as copper for future use.
How mobile phones get recycled
When mobile phones are recycled, they take one of two journeys.
The first journey is the most well known as it involves unwanted phones being either repaired and passed on as entire units or broken down into component parts so that they can be used in other phones. These processes are very environmentally friendly as they require very little in the way of energy (thereby reducing emissions) and raw materials.
The second journey is less well known, but by no means less worthwhile.
This recycling journey involves taking unwanted mobile phones from the UK and sending them overseas to developing countries and less fortunate parts of the world where the people regard any type of mobile phone as being something of a luxury.
Certainly, access to landline telephones can often be very hard to come by for people in parts of Africa, Asia and the Indian sub-continent; therefore, mobile phones can be invaluable as they can provide people with the ability to communicate, regardless of where they might be.
Of course, this can provide great comfort to people in remote communities as it can enable them to keep in touch with family members who may have left the area to look for work. In addition, improved communication links can also be very beneficial to entrepreneurs and business-minded individuals who are looking to improve their country’s economy by setting up their own enterprises.
So, whilst this second journey may be less well known, it is clear to see that it is indeed very worthwhile. Indeed, people who choose to recycle Blackberry phones, Nokia mobiles or iPhone handsets by sending them to countries like China, India and Pakistan will not only help separated family members to stay in touch; they will also help developing markets to become more established and hopefully, prosper. This in turn will increase financial opportunities and raise the local population’s expectations to achieve an improved quality of life.
So don’t throw away your old mobile – send it to us instead. You can be sure that it will be worthwhile.