There is money, monkey bars in that old cell phone

Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Cellular telephones are cool little gadgets that are getting cooler and littler all the time.

It is not surprising, therefore, that many people replace their wireless phones every year or so.

That leaves a lot of old cell phones that, while perfectly usable, are tossed into drawers or, much worse, trash cans.

The latter poses serious disposal and environmental problems that are easily avoided: Instead of throwing away those "old" cell phones, recycle them. There are plenty of ways to do so that benefit other people, places or nonprofits -- while keeping many toxins out of the air and water.

Nationwide, 130 million cellular phones will go out of use this year, with the average user replacing his or her phone after only 18 months, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A few hundred thousand of them will be in Maine.

That creates an estimated 65,000 tons of electronic garbage across the country at a time when the volume of "e-waste" is growing much faster than the overall amount of trash.

And when the electronic devices are burned or buried at landfills, toxins -- including cadmium, lead and zinc -- are released into the air or ground.

With almost no effort, we can all help avoid this dangerous air, ground and water pollution.

In Maine, more than 100 schools, universities, church groups and other nonprofit organizations -- and one municipality -- have begun programs that collect and find new users or uses for old cell phones. In some cases, they are able to exchange the phones for money or merchandise.

In what is one of the best uses that we can imagine, some social-service and law-enforcement agencies provide recycled cell phones to crisis shelters or directly to victims of domestic violence so they can call 911 in case of further trouble.

Some businesses also have programs to collect old cell phones, including cellular companies that sell them for refurbishing. Profit from those sales often goes to charity.

Maine towns and cities should also be getting into the act by following South Portland's lead.

In an effort to collect "retired" cell phones, the city's Public Works Department has put out collection boxes at municipal buildings where people can drop off their unwanted cell phones. The city is also looking to place drop-off boxes at city businesses, too.

The phones go to FundingFactory, a Pennsylvania company that buys used cellular telephones and empty printer cartridges. In exchange for the phones, FundingFactory gives South Portland cash or credit toward other technology, sports and recreation equipment or playground systems.

Money or pricey merchandise in exchange for other people's discarded cell phones sounds like a nice deal.

We urge other communities, schools and nonprofit organizations to get on board with this program or others that make it financially worthwhile to keep yesterday's cell phones out off today's incinerators and landfills.