Juicy Info

Yesterday I received my latest iPhone upgrade. Within about 20 minutes of opening it, I’m already synched-up and my new best friend is up and running. It’s a nice feeling but ever since I placed my order, I’ve been niggled about what to do with my now redundant, yet trusty old iphone.

As I was ordering my new phone from UK network provider O2 I was pretty surprised that they didn’t have a scheme I could use. They also told me that Apple had no proprietary recycling program (I’ve since found out this was wrong – see here for their policy). Instead they suggested I searched online to select my preferred choice of outlet. I would have been impressed if they could have part-exchanged my old phone. From a manufacturer/network stance, upgrade time would be the key point to emphasize the importance of recycling communication. Such a shame this didn’t happen for me.

This experience got me thinking. As technology permeates our lives and our desire for the newest and latest gizmos grows, manufacturers and retailers need to be doing more to educate consumers about recycling. It is pretty well-known that sustainability is fast becoming something no brand or business can afford to ignore. Indeed, PSFK’s Good Brands Report 2009 pinpoints sustainability as a key tenet of successful brands.

Here are some facts to consider on mobile/cell recycling:

• The relatively short usage of a given mobile phone (most monthly contracts are 12-18 months) makes recycling a fundamental part of its life-cycle.
• Mobile phone penetration exceeds 80% in the US. Consumers on average use upgrade their phones every 12 months, according to Flipswap.
• There are an estimated 80 million phones lying around unused in the UK. Envirofone equates this to a value of £1.6 billion in the UK alone.
• Only 10% of cell phones are recycled each year in the US. Most people don’t know where to recycle them, so driving awareness of schemes is high priority. (epa.gov)
• Recycling phones can significantly reduce landfill, greenhouse emissions used in manufacturing, plus reduce the amount of raw materials used, namely precious metals.
• Japan has one of the most developed mobile phone markets. However, Japan Times Online reports that the number of phones recycled has dropped by nearly half between 2003 and 2007. Japanese consumers are put off from recycling their phones due to concerns over data/personal information security. Others will continue to use the device as a second camera.
• A recent post on this mobile recycling blog highlights Nielsen research that shows a significant uplift in visits to mobile phone recycling websites in the past year. Hitwise research also reported a 190% increase in mobile recycling searches in the 12 months to June 2009.

After a bit of research it seems mobile phone recycling is gaining momentum with a growing range of providers helping consumers and businesses dispose of them in an ethical and lucrative fashion. These are:

Government schemes: The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched a national campaign ‘Plug-In to eCycling’ in Spring 2009, partnering with retailers, manufacturers and service providers. The common offerings include encouraging schools, local communities and businesses to organize their own recycling collections. In June this year, the Japanese government also launched a cell phone recycling initiative to boost rates from 20% to 30%.

Manufacturers/network providers: In the US, the EPA Spring campaign drove awareness of  drop-off points in stores and postage-paid labels for mailing unwanted phones, which can be downloaded and printed from the web. Most network providers and manufacturers have their own schemes for you to recycle phones. They have been most prolific in working to support charities and local communities through their recycling schemes. Designing better phones that are easier to recycle is a key strategy for most.

As noted by Motorola, handset manufacturers are legally obliged to provide a recycling service. It runs a ‘take-back’ program and offers K-12 schools the chance to earn cash from collecting and recycling mobile phones as part of their Race to Recycle scheme. Sony Ericsson offers an event-based cell phone recycling program.

Trading/recycling mobile and cell phones: This has been a key area of development over the past few years, with a number of new brands arriving on the scene in the US and UK. As is incumbent of most new start-ups these days, the long-tail of the web enables many to compete in this arena.

Most schemes offer a series of value propositions – touting ease and speed – and encompassing the tangible benefits (cash or credit e.g., Amazon, Argos or M&S vouchers and even air miles) and the feel-good factor from recycling or donating to charity. US brand Flipswap launched in 2004. According to a review on Inc. Flipswap’s phone recycling comes mainly from those collected in retail outlets. Phones are re-sold to China, South Africa and South America. Gazelle calls itself the one of the largest reCommerce companies recycling all kinds of electronics for good. It has relationships with retailers, such as CostCo, online affiliates and charities.

Envirofone, Mazuma Mobile, Fonebank and MoPay are just a few of the options available. There are even price and product comparison sites like SellYourmobile, Cellzone and Money4urmobile for you to compare potential earnings. And of course there are traditional D-I-Y options like ebay and Amazon.

Brands touting ‘cash or credit for phones’ have taken advantage of consumers’ appetite to make some extra cash in the recession, with heavy promotion from the likes of Envirofone and Mazuma in the UK.

Retailers: Most electrical retailers offer some kind of free recycling scheme. Drop-off kiosks in-stores (Best Buy, Office Depot, Curry’s, NTT DoCoMo in Japan). Best Buy gives all new cell phone customers envelopes for mailing their old phone for recycling.

In the UK, retailers have been running mobile phone recycling schemes for a while. Sainsbury’s joined with Fonebank in 2003. Tesco has its own scheme as does UK high street pharmacy and retailer Boots runs its own online scheme giving consumers the chance to earn Advantage card loyalty card points in exchange for their phone. All three schemes work with a third party charity,  which receives part of the proceeds.

Media companies: Even tabloids are getting in on the act. Back in June, the News of the World launched a mobile recycling tool, powered by Mobile Phone Xchange.

Charity/non-profit options: Charities were some of the first companies to embrace mobile phone recycling, as a form of donation that can be sold on. The Wireless Recycling Network lists over 2,000 organizations that recycle mobile phones for good.

Hopephones.org uses mobile phone donations to help save lives, supporting medical professionals in developing nations. Cell phones for soldiers converts your cell phone into a calling card so that soldiers can call home.  Also in the US, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) calls for individuals to donate their phone for use by those who are threatened. Verizon Wireless offers something similar. Virgin RE*Generation supports children in need.

Earth911.com has a free iPhone application enabling you to easily find and get directions to recycling locations in the US. It can be used for all electronic products.

Misc: Of course you don’t have to go down the selling route. Here are some other ideas to tempt you: Mobile Compost in Sweden; Keep It – don’t sell it;

Having looked at the range of options, it seems a lot of progress has been made and there are many options to  encourage consumers and businesses to recycle phones. Still, this is an industry still pretty much in its infancy and there is tremendous scope for existing industry brands to enter and offer more innovative ways and means of recycling their technology. I’m personally very interested in how handset and network providers can make this a more intrinsic part of their brand offering.

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