Consumer Cellular Recycles 10,000 Phones

Consumer Cellular, a mobile network operator, is trying to help the planet, as well as give back to a local community through its cell phone recycling program.

 

The program has already kept 10,000 cell phones out of landfills and raised more than $8,000 for Portland, Ore.-based Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation – the state’s premier pediatric health center.

 

“Every year, millions of cell phones are replaced with new phones and the old phones are not properly recycled,” said Consumer Cellular CEO John Marick. “Consumer Cellular recognizes that by encouraging our customers to recycle and making it easy for them, we can help the environment and our community.”

 

An estimated 150 million cell phones are retired in the United States every year, but less than 10 percent of those phones are recycled. The Consumer Electronics Association reports that 75 percent of Americans are unaware of cell phone recycling options.

 

With each mobile phone sold, Consumer Cellular includes a postage-paid envelope, so customers can recycle their old cell phone, regardless of whether it still works.

 

The company’s recycling partner, ReCellular (News - Alert), refurbishes and resells the usable cell phones, making wireless communication more accessible to more people. Phones that no longer function are recycled according to strict environmental standards and the salvaged materials are used to make other products.

 

All proceeds from the recycling program, which was introduced in October, go directly to the Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation at Oregon Health & Science University.

 

For more information on the recycling initiative or to download a postage-free mailing label to recycle an old phone, visit: https://www.consumercellular.com/about/recycling.aspx

 

Consumer Cellular was founded in 1995 on the belief that everyone should have affordable access to the safety and convenience of cellular service. The company provides its customers with simple, affordable cell phones and calling plans. Plus, customers do not have to sign a long-term contract.