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Mobile Phones
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Mobile phones being put into a recycling binTurn old mobile phones into new funds

Around 15 million mobile phones are replaced each year in the UK. Help the Aged can turn unwanted mobile phones and their accessories into money to help older people.

How your company can help

There are two ways in which your company can take part:

1. By donating your company's old mobile phones

Many companies regularly upgrade their range of mobile phones. If your company has redundant phones they can donate, please call 0808 1788144, email transform@shpsolutions.com or send your phones to:

FREEPOST
ShP Solutions
Lancaster

Please place the phones, together with your name and address, inside a jiffy bag or sealed box.

2. By organising a collection of your employees' unwanted mobile phones

Is there someone in your company who could organise a collection of your employees' old mobile phones?

Please call 0817 88144 for your free collection pack, and discover how many of your colleagues have an old mobile phone lying unwanted at home!

New legislation

From 1 July 2007 any business that manufactures, brands or imports electrical and electronic equipment is responsible for the cost of collection, treatment and recycling of obligated waste electrical and electronic equipment generated in the UK. Mobile phones are covered by this legislation, so why not recycle your mobile phones through Help the Aged's recycling scheme?

What happens to donated phones?

Donated phones are segregated for re-use or recycling. Reusable phones are tested, repaired and refurbished and the majority are sent overseas for use in developing countries where there is often poor, or non-existent landline telecommunication.

Phones and chargers which are unsuitable for re-use are sent to a specialist recycling centre where some materials are recovered and put back into productive use. So even if your phone is very old or broken, we still want it!

Fast Facts
1) On average, each working handset is worth £5 to Help the Aged, but some are worth much more.
2) There are 100 million unused phones in the UK, and over 7 billion around the world that could be recycled.
3) In the UK, the average consumer replaces their mobile phone every 18 months.
4) Mobile phones contain some hazardous materials. They are completely harmless until they are thrown in landfill where they degrade and can cause serious damage to the environment.
5) The cadmium from one mobile phone battery is enough to pollute 600,000 litres of water, equivalent to 1/3 of an Olympic sized swimming pool.

Further information:
To find out more, please email
 corporate@helptheaged.org.uk Or call us on 0870 770 3287.

When donating phones:
Please include batteries and chargers if possible, and remember to remove the SIM cards.



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Contact information

If you have a query, contact the Recycling Hotline on 0870 7700 446 or email Transform In Northern Ireland, call 02890 230666.

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