how to donate old phones

by Roselyn Satterfield 3 min read

Where to Donate Your Old Cell Phone
  1. 911 Cell Phone Bank. ...
  2. American Cell Phone Drive. ...
  3. Cell4Pets. ...
  4. Cell Phones for Soldiers. ...
  5. eBay for Charity. ...
  6. Goodwill. ...
  7. Medic Mobile. ...
  8. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Feb 5, 2021

How to recycle or donate your old Android phone?

Compare phone disposal options. Veterans Advantage Through its Recycle & Reward program, Veterans Advantage collects and recycles used phones, then uses the proceeds to provide additional benefits and discounts for active military members, veterans, and their families. Recycling for Charities Like some other organizations on this list, Recycling for Charities will …

How to recycle your old iPhone?

Recycle 10 to 10,000 Devices in 3 Simple Steps: Print free FedEx Shipping Labels online or Request a free Recycling Kit. Ship us your devices for free. We accept smartphones, cell phones & tablets of all types, ages, and conditions, including damaged & locked devices.

How do you recycle a phone?

Aug 20, 2019 · First, you can find a donation site near you. Cell Phones For Soldiers has thousands of collection sites all over the country, hosted by generous partner businesses and organizations, and you can find them by searching our database with your ZIP Code. Tip: When you spot a nearby site in our database, we suggest calling them at the listed phone number …

Where to donate old iPhones?

Look for Local Cell Phone Recycling Centers Near You Search for local cell phone recycling centers near you. Local centers may offer a variety of recycling services aside from electronic waste, so it is important to explicitly ask the organization if they offer e-waste recycling.

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What to do with old unused phones?

You can trade in your device for credit towards a new phone with your mobile carrier, sell it online, donate it to a charitable organization or recycle it with your other e-waste. Check out a full list of options in the recycling guide.Dec 17, 2017

Who can I give my old phone to?

Charitables Organizations Take Cell Phone Donations911 Cell Phone Bank. ... National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. ... Cell Phones for Soldiers. ... Recycling for Charities. ... Second Wave Recycling. ... Medic Mobile. ... Eco-Cell. ... Secure the Call.More items...

Are old cell phones worth money?

How much are old cell phones worth? Old phones can be worth a huge amount! Of course, it all depends on the original retail price of the phone and its age and condition now, popular brands like Apple and Samsung Android devices can still put upwards of $500 in your pocket.

Does goodwill Take cell phones?

All Goodwill Donation Centre locations accept working electronics such as laptops, PCs, tablets, cell phones, televisions, radios and more.

What do I do with an old cell phone?

Providing the phone still works, you can donate your old smartphone to a number of charities that have partnered with cell phone refurbishing compa...

Are old cell phones worth anything?

Old cell phones aren’t worth much because there isn't much demand for them. If it’s not particularly old (just used), then you can try reselling it...

Is it safe to use an old Android phone?

Since old smartphones and android phones do not come with the now-required safety configurations, it may not be safe for you to use them to store a...

What was the very first smartphone?

The very first smartphone was launched by IBM in 1992 and was released to the general public for purchase in 1994. This device wasn't entirely comp...

Is Android 5 still safe?

While Android 5 lacks the security patches that make the smartphones of today safe, you can still use it. However, consider updating it with extern...

How much of cell phones are recycled?

Even so, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency currently estimates only about 20 percent of all cell phones are recycled [source: LeBlanc ]. Most cell phone providers have drop-off bins or mail-in programs to make recycling your old phone easy, but there are lots of ways you can recycle your phone and give to others. ...

When was the first smartphone invented?

The very first smartphone was launched by IBM in 1992 and was released to the general public for purchase in 1994. This device wasn't entirely compact and was soon replaced by more innovative versions.

What are cell phones made of?

They're are made with precious metals, copper and plastics, all of which can be recycled to make new products. Even so, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency currently estimates only about 20 percent ...

What does NCADV do?

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) collects cell phones to help fund their programs. They accept phones and partner with Cellular Recycler, which sells refurbished electronics. Some of the funds from those sales then goes back to NCADV. They'll also accept other types of old electronics, too, including old laptops, digital cameras, video game consoles, and MP3 players, along with all of the related charging cords and accessories.

What is second wave recycling?

Second Wave Recycling is an organization that accepts older phones, iPods and MP3 players, tablets and e-readers, handheld gaming devices, smart watches and even charging cables. Newer and functional devices are refurbished and then sold for cash. Older devices are recycled. The money from those processes is donated to fund a designated charity. Second Wave is actively funding the Wounded Warrior Project, which offers support services for military personnel who've been hurt while serving the U.S., but the organization has supported other causes, too, including charities that benefit medical patients, domestic abuse survivors, animals rescues, and many others. You can choose which charity to support.

What is Medic Mobile?

Medic Mobile recycles and refurbishes old phones and tablets and uses the funds to buy mobile devices that medical workers use on the job in 26 countries, mostly in Asia, Latin America, or Africa. These devices register pregnancies, track disease outbreaks, and communicate about medical emergencies. Advertisement.

What is the second wave?

Second Wave is actively funding the Wounded Warrior Project, which offers support services for military personnel who've been hurt while serving the U.S. , but the organization has supported other causes, too, including charities that benefit medical patients, domestic abuse survivors, animals rescues, and many others.

What is the National Coalition against Domestic Violence?

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence Sells used phones and uses the proceeds to combat domestic violence. Second Wave Recycling Proceeds go toward the cause of your choice, including charities related to the military, environment, and children.

What is Gospel for Asia?

Gospel for Asia Sells donated phones to fund missionaries, operate schools, and provide Bibles and livestock to needy villages in Asia. Teen Challenge of Arizona Uses the proceeds from donated smartphones to help people overcome life-controlling problems.

Why can't I just throw my phone away?

We create tens of millions of tons of e-waste — waste from electronic devices — every year, and just dumping it in the trash is the worst possible thing you could do with it. There are two types of materials in smartphones and other e-waste that require special disposal processes:

How to prepare to part with your phone

If the phone doesn't turn on anymore, you can skip this section and just take your phone to an EcoATM or Best Buy for recycling.

Figuring out where to recycle your phone

If you don't know which option is best or what happens to your phone after you get rid of it, let's break them down to make the decision a little easier for you.

Next time, consider a more sustainable option

Each year more phone manufacturers are making their devices more and more sustainable, and there are even several companies like Fairphone and Teracube who are pushing the envelope even further. Be sure to check out our guide on the best sustainable and repairable phones before making your next smartphone purchase.

prepaid

CPFS will pay for your shipping if you plan to ship 10 phones or more.

Self-Paid

Thank you for taking the extra step to cover shipping costs for your donated devices! Not only is your device donation tax deductible but so are the shipping costs.

Donate Smartphones & Cell Phones to Support Our Troops

Welcome to OperationRecycling.com! The Mission: Recycle your devices and help our 501 (c) (3) nonprofit partner Operation Gratitude support U.S. service members & first responders worldwide.

Recycle 10 to 10,000 Devices in 3 Simple Steps

Print free FedEx Shipping Labels online or Request a free Recycling Kit.

How much gold is recycled in a cell phone?

To demonstrate the importance of recycling, the article mentions that every time one million cell phones are recycled, they yield: 35,274 pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold and 33 pounds of palladium. This is important to consider since only about 12.5% of e-waste is actually recycled, according to the same article.

What happens when you throw away a cell phone?

When you throw away your phone, it is treated as waste and either burned (releasing hazardous chemicals into the air) or left in a landfill where the soil will absorb the toxic chemicals. Reduced energy consumption: When you recycle cell phones, you save energy through re-purposing.

What are cell phones made of?

The materials used to make cell phones generally consist of: Various metals, including common alloys, as well as some precious metals like ...

Can you recycle a cell phone?

Prior to recycling your cell phone, you should make sure that your information on the device is backed up — most carriers will do this for you. You will also want to remove your SIM card in order to switch it over to your new device. After you have backed up your phone, you will want to go into your settings to factory reset it and wipe any existing personal data.

What is an eco friendly phone?

Eco-Friendly Phones and Accessories. Eco-friendly devices exist; they have ECO Specs and are created with packaging, production, phone efficiency, and materials in mind. There are various apps and phone settings that can help with energy efficiency as well.

How much of e-waste is recycled?

This is important to consider since only about 12.5% of e-waste is actually recycled, according to the same article. It becomes important to understand and implement best practices surrounding cell phone recycling.

What is the recycling process?

The Recycling Process. During the recycling process, any part of a mobile device that is usable is repurposed instead of being immediately thrown out. The process generally starts when the recycler ships the batteries off to be recycled at a specialized establishment.

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