You may not realize it, but over 125 million cell phones are thrown away every year. This waste has become one of the largest contributors to pollution that our planet is experiencing. These 125 million cell phones create roughly 65,000 tons of waste a year.
Landfills are becoming more and more overloaded with these cell phones. Our constant need for newer products mixed with our “just toss it” mentality is not contributing to a greener environment. Most of today’s society is unaware of proper disposal procedures for cell phones, computers and other various electronic devices.
So is proper cell phone disposal really that important? YES! Here’s why: Cell phones are full of toxic chemicals. From the batteries to displays, cell phones can contain chemicals like copper, mercury, cadmium, lead, beryllium (a carcinogen linked to cancer) and arsenic! All of these chemicals are unfortunately being dumped in our landfills yearly.
If cell phones were disposed of properly, some of these harmful toxins could be recycled as well. New cell phones could run on these reused chemicals instead of dumping them into the environment.
Not only is our environment suffering from these toxins, our drinking water is becoming more and more contaminated as well. Currently, less than 1% of our water is actually drinkable, making it more difficult to protect it.
Studies from the University of Northwest Indiana have revealed that 82% of landfills in Northwest Indiana alone experienced leaks. These leaks are so toxic that by living close to these landfills come serious health problems. For example, heart defects, shorter height, liver defects and lower weight in newborns are greatly affected by these toxins. Makes you think twice about what we’re throwing away, no?

What to think about before throwing your phone away:

1. Do you absolutely need it, or is it a want?
2. Think about where your phone is going to end up.
Just because you don’t have the old phone anymore, doesn’t mean that the impact stops there. You can’t see the phone, but the toxins from that waste will continue to affect the environment long after you have forgotten it.

What Can I Do?

1. Dispose wisely. Research local policies for cell phone recycling or donations. Surprisingly, many states are requiring businesses to have a cell phone recycling system in order to conduct business.
2. Donate your old phone. If it still works, give it to someone who could really use it. Many non-profit organizations have a donation bin for old phones that go to domestic violence victims or soldiers overseas
3. Sell it. Different websites like eBay and Craigslist are excellent ways to sell merchandise. It’s easy to arrange and you can get a few bucks out of it.
Remember, these little things are helping the environment a little bit every day.

Green Living