How to Dispose of an Old Cell Phone

It's exciting to get the latest cell-phone model with all the new additions and features. But what do you do with your old cell phone? Do you just throw it away? You have some options. You can either recycle the phone, donate it, resell it or dispose of it. However, before you do any of these, remember to remove ALL private or sensitive information that is stored on the phone. Following these tips will help you through the process.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Old cell phone
• Cell-phone manual
• Computer

1. Remove all your personal information from the cell phone before discarding it. While one option is to lock the keypad, the safest and most reliable way to avoid having others gain access to the private information stored on your cell phone is to delete it. Delete all contacts, text messages you received AND sent, any pictures saved, any lists of calls (outgoing and incoming) and any Web-search terms. Get rid of it all.
2. Refer to your owner’s manual if you do not know how to work your cell phone.
3. Decide how to dispose of it, once your phone is entirely empty.
4. Recycle your phone. Cell-phone manufacturers as well as service providers and non-profit groups have programs to recycle old cell phones. The Environmental Protection Agency has a website devoted to electronics recycling programs, and the U.S. Postal Service has a “Mail Back” program that provides free envelopes to mail back old electronics to be recycled. The electronics you can mail in these envelopes include PDAs, cell phones, digital cameras and music players.
5. Look for local charities that are interested in small electronics, if you decide to donate your cell phone.
6. Try the Internet or the local newspaper, if you decide to resell your cell phone.
7. Remember that cell-phone batteries should never be put in the trash, because they are harmful. If you decide to dispose of your old cell phone, check with your local health and sanitation agencies for the proper instructions on how to dispose of the battery safely.

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