For whatever reason, many people do not consider the harmful effects that throwing their used cell phone away has on the environment. In an era where things like global warming and Green Living are at the forefront of many conversations, it is time that everyone starts thinking about donating these so that they can either be recycled or become refurbished cellular phones instead of waste.

Almost every household in America has a minimum of one cell phone and many have used phones laying around not even being used. The metals and chemicals that are used to manufacture these phones are not only toxic but they require energy to make as well. You wouldn’t throw away a light bulb for no reason that still has life left in it so why would you simply throw a phone away?

Toxins

Cell phones are right up near the top of the list of electronics that are polluting landfills. Lead, mercury and arsenic are among the toxic chemicals that are used in the production of these phones. It is true that your cell phone only contains a very tiny amount of each of these chemicals however, you need to look at the big picture of over 140 million of them being disposed of annually. This enormous figure makes for a haunting amount of toxins that are leeching into the Earth’s groundwater. As the number of thrown away used phones increases, so does the negative environmental effects.

Breakdown

Not only are the toxins harming the environment, they are not exactly biodegradable either. They are created from metal and plastic parts that will become nice permanent fixtures on landfills. You may as well wrap them up in a plastic shopping bag as well since neither is going to break down for the next 1000 years.

An average lifespan of a cell phone is approximately 18 months but most are replaced long before this point. This means that each person could potentially throw 40 cell phones away through the course of their life. When you multiply that number by the number of users worldwide, you are given a devastating negative environmental effect.

Accessories

The cell phone isn’t the only culprit filling landfills. Each phone brings with it a number of accessories as well. Every time you upgrade, there are also additional accessories since most are not interchangeable. All of these add up too. Many landfills do have regulations about accepting electronics but accessories are small and easily concealed in trash bags.

What You Can Do

Since it is unlikely that cell phones will ever be given up, you can do your part to at least help minimize environmental threats. Instead of throwing your phone away, find out where you can donate or recycle it. Many providers offer postage paid return bags that you can send your old phone back to them in and they will take care of either recycling or refurbishing it.

Take steps to stop the negative effects of these phones today and bring awareness to those around you to not carelessly dispose of their phones as well.

Author Bio: Scott Bradshaw writes articles that focus on cell phones, cellular apps, and mobile services. He encourages people to save money with refurbished cellular phones and avoid signing contract extensions by purchasing used cell phones.

Category: Society
Keywords: environment, cell phones, electronic waste, green living, eco friendly living, recycling