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Need help deciding what to do with your old electronics? See below for help with Cell phones.
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Your cell phone isn't performing as well as you'd like or lacks the capability to handle certain tasks. For example,
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• Your battery doesn't last, even when fully charged
• You're not satisfied with your phone's reception or your service provider
• You want more memory for pictures or music |
| Fix it: Check our Upgrade section for options |
| Your cell phone is broken or behaving erratically |
Fix it: Check our Repair section for advice on finding help |
| Your cell phone is working, but you no longer want it |
Fix it: Check our Donate or sell section for options |
| Your cell phone is broken, and you no longer want it |
Fix it: Check our Recycle section for options |
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Before buying a new cell phone, consider whether you can simply upgrade your existing one. Below you'll find help in making that decision:
| Your goal |
How you can upgrade |
Special cell phone requirements |
Where to find help* |
| You want your battery to last longer |
Buy a new battery |
No |
Check the manufacturer's Web site or service provider's retailer for a new battery; visit our Buying new section for more advice on finding a legitimate battery
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| You want better reception or a new service provider |
Consider changing carriers |
To keep your cell phone when you switch providers, you must have a phone that uses GSM technology. Cingular and T-mobile are currently the largest cell phone providers using GSM. |
An independent cell phone retailer may unlock your phone when you sign a new contract with a service provider that uses GSM technology, or you can search online for services that will unlock your phone; Unlock123 is an option for those with Nokia phones;
Find out how various Service providers rated in our latest survey (available to subscribers)
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| You want more memory for pictures or music |
Add memory, or clean out your phone's memory |
A phone with a removable memory card slot and/or a service plan that lets you send multimedia messages or email. |
To find a new memory card, check the service provider's Web site or retail store
To clean out your phone's memory, delete or send excess pictures to an email address for storage; check your user manual or the manufacturer's Web site for help
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*These resources are provided for those who wish to learn more about upgrading or to perform the upgrade themselves. If that's not for you, consider hiring professional help (see the Repair section for resources).
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Keeping your cell phone clean and well-maintained may delay any decisions you have to make about repairs or replacement. This is particularly important for your cell phone's battery, which can cause harm to you and your phone if not properly maintained. Below are safety tips from our engineers and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), along with advice on keeping your phone's software up to date.
Cell phone battery safety tips
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• If you remove the battery (or if it has exposed terminals when it's in the phone), keep it away from keys, coins, or other metal objects in your pocket, which could cause a short-circuit.
• Buy the battery designed for your particular phone and buy from your wireless service provider or a reputable retailer. Avoid cheap aftermarket brands. A cheap battery carrying what appears to be a name brand may well be a fake and not properly manufactured.
• Keep the phone and battery away from sources of extreme heat, such as a stove or radiator. Don't leave your phone in your car's glove compartment on hot days.
• If you drop a phone with a fully charged battery, it could overheat and explode. Leave the phone on the ground for a minute to make sure there's no problem.
• Follow the phone manufacturer's instructions for charging. |
Don't overcharge the battery. Check the manual when you first purchase your phone. If the instructions warn against overcharging, be sure to unplug your phone after a full charge, as it may pose a fire hazard and reduce the life of the battery. But even if there's no warning, not overcharging can help save energy-particularly if you also unplug your charger between uses. For more information on using batteries safely, read our free report on The dangers in phone batteries.
Update your software. If your wireless carrier is Verizon, you'll have to dial *228 periodically to keep your phone's roaming capabilities up to date, Verizon recommends doing this once a month. Other carriers, including Sprint/Nextel, T-mobile, and Cingular, update their customers' phones automatically.
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Find a new home for your cell phone. Generally, if your phone is in working condition, someone else may be able to use it. However, according to INFORM, a non-profit environmental research group, the majority of donated phones end up being sold to developing countries for reuse. Unfortunately, those countries may have little or no infrastructure to dispose of the old phones responsibly at the end of their life. (To learn why it's important to keep cell phones out of landfills, visit our section on What you need to know.) To find out how a particular collection program works, and what will happen to your phone, ask the program's representative or check their Web site.
Note: Before you pack up your cell phone, be sure to contact the organization or check its Web site to find out if it's currently accepting the type and condition of phone you plan to give away.
Options for donating:
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• Local community programs. Some municipalities offer reuse programs that accept old cell phones. To find out whether a program exists in your community, contact your local waste management agency, or consult the searchable map on the Electronic Industry Alliance Web site.
• Service provider and retailer programs. Most service providers and some retailers, including Best Buy and Staples, have in-store collection programs that typically accept all makes and models of phones, as well as accessories.
• Thrift stores and charities. For some options, search Earth911, which offers a Zip-code searchable database of local and national organizations that accept donated cell phones. The EPA's Plug into E-cycling program also lists donation options.
• Giveaway sites. You can list your phone on sites such as freecycle, where it will be posted online in your community and possibly picked up for free by neighbor who wants it.
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Options for selling:
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• If the cell phone isn't too old and is still in working condition (or repair is an option), another user might buy it through an ad in your local paper or an online service like Craig's list or an auction site like eBay.
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Don't donate or sell your identity! Before you donate your cell phone, make sure that you rid it of all traces of personally identifiable information that could be used for identity theft. Visit our Protect your identity section to learn how.
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Help for do-it-yourselfers. If you're the hands-on type, check your cell phone's manual for a troubleshooting section or search for advice on the manufacturer's or service provider's Web site. Another source is the do-it-yourself cell phone repair site Repair4mobilephone.
If your phone is off-warranty, consider certified independent repairers. Ask whether the repairer you're considering is certified by a trade group, such as the Electronics Technicians Association or the International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians. Membership doesn't ensure integrity, but it does suggest that repairers are technically qualified.
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If you can't donate your old cell phone, or if it's broken beyond repair, recycle it. Today there are numerous recycling options for old cell phones. However, not all the cell phone equipment returned for recycling ends up at an appropriately managed facility. (To learn more about this issue, including why it's important to keep cell phones out of landfills, visit our section on What you need to know). Here are some tips on choosing a responsible recycler, as well as information on where to recycle cell phone batteries.
Cell phone recycling resources
Rechargeable battery recycling resources
1. Consider a recycler that has signed this pledge. A coalition of environmental groups has recently established a voluntary program known as the Electronics Recycler's Pledge of True Stewardship. The recyclers agree not to export hazardous electronic components to developing countries, not to dispose of equipment in municipal landfills or incinerators not equipped to handle it, and not to use prison labor, among other things. The program is relatively new, but the number of companies that have signed on is growing. For a searchable map of recyclers that have signed the pledge, click here.
2. Otherwise, find a recycler using the list of resources below, and ask them these questions:
The following questions and acceptable sample answers were adapted from the Basel Action Network (BAN), an environmental advocacy group.
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Q1. Which state or local electronics disposal laws do you comply with? [Acceptable answer would be that they comply with state and local electronics disposal regulations; to find out about E-waste legislation in your area, visit the US Environmental Protection Agency's e-cycling map (scroll down to see state listings)].
Q2. Do you send any electronic waste overseas? If so, where? [Acceptable answer would be that if they do send it overseas, they send it to developed countries including those in the European Union, and to facilities with environmental management systems in place.]
Q3. Where do you send your hazardous waste? [Acceptable answer would be that they send it to a facility that specializes in hazardous waste.]
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Cell phone recycling resources:
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• Local community programs. Some municipalities offer recycling programs that accept cell phones. To find out whether a program exists in your community, contact your local waste management agency, or consult the searchable map on the Electronic Industry Alliance Web site.
• Service provider programs. Many service providers offer in-store or mail-in recycling programs that accept all makes and models of phones, as well as accessories.
• Retailer programs. Some service providers and independent recyclers have teamed up with retailers like Best Buy, Office Depot, and Staples to sponsor free, limited-time, in-store collection events.
• Private recycling firms. You can also take your electronic waste directly to a private recycling company. Lists of such companies are available on the Electronic Industries Alliance Web site (click on your state, then on find reuse and recycle options), as well as at Earth 911.
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Recycling old batteries. Rechargeable cell phone batteries should be recycled to keep the heavy metals they contain out of landfills. While some cell phone recyclers will accept used batteries, you can also recycle them directly through the industry-funded Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation They have more than 30,000 drop-off locations. Those include many major retailers, including Best Buy, Home Depot, and Staples, among others.
Don't recycle your identity! Before you recycle your cell phone, make sure that you terminate the service, and rid the phone of all traces of personally identifiable information that could be used for identity theft. Visit our Protect your identity section to learn how.
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If you’re looking for a “greener” cell phone, here are several of the factors you may want to consider in addition to performance and cost before buying a new one.
TOXINS
Consider choosing a phone from a manufacturer that has reduced or eliminated toxins. For example, all new models of Sony Ericsson and Nokia mobile phones are now made without brominated flame retardants and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). To learn whether a manufacturer has reduced or eliminated some of the toxins contained in cell phones, check the Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics, or visit the manufacturer’s Web site.
RECYCLING
Check the carrier's recycling record. Most cell service providers have recycling programs. You can review the results of a Report card of the four major service providers' recycling programs, issued in 2006 by Earthworks, an environmental advocacy organization.
REUSE
Consider a refurbished phone from a manufacturer. For example, AT&T/Cingular is currently offering refurbished models.
SAFETY
Avoid counterfeit batteries. Buy batteries designed for your particular phone from your wireless service provider or a reputable retailer. Counterfeits, which may be for sale an unusually low prices may lack key safety features to prevent overcharging or to dissipate heat. That can cause these small, power-packed cells to overheat, expand, explode, and catch fire. Even those carrying what appears to be a name brand may well be a fake and not properly manufactured. So your best protection is to buy from a source you can trust.
RELATED LINKS
Consumer Reports Cell Phone Decision Guide. Visit the complete guide (some content available to subscribers only).
My green electronics. The Electronics Industry Alliance has developed criteria for “greener” electronics and offers an online searchable database that allows consumers to search by product at MyGreenElectronics.
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Cell phones are a serious solid-waste problem. According to INFORM, a nonprofit environmental research group, there are over 130 million cell phones retired in the U.S. - over 40 times more than in 1990 - with only a very small percentage having been collected for reuse and recycling.
Cell phone equipment contains toxic materials:
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• Printed circuit boards contain toxic metals including lead, nickel, and beryllium.
•Liquid crystal displays contain mercury.
• Batteries may contain nickel and cadmium, particularly older ones.
• Plastics may contain brominated flame retardants, that are toxic and persist in the environment. Studies suggest they accumulate in household dust and in the food chain, and they have been detected in some fish.
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Not all the phones returned for reuse or recycling end up at an appropriately managed facility. According to INFORM, a nonprofit environmental research group, more than two-thirds of phones that are refurbished for reuse are sent abroad, often to developing countries, where there is little or no recycling infrastructure. The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, an environmental advocacy group, has similarly found that the majority of equipment intended for recycling is diverted to uncontrolled landfills or unsafe recycling operations in developing countries. As a result, the local environment in these areas can become contaminated, and local residents, in an effort to reclaim valuable metal components, may be exposed to hazardous materials.
A coalition of environmental groups recently established a voluntary program known as the Electronics Recycler's Pledge of True Stewardship. Companies signing the pledge agree to prevent the export of hazardous electronic components to developing countries, the disposal of waste equipment in municipal landfills and incinerators not equipped to handle it, and the use of prison labor. The program is new, but the number of companies that have signed on is growing. Click here for a list of recyclers that signed the pledge.
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Before donating or recycling your cell phone, be sure to erase all personal data. To learn how, visit the cell phone industry's WirelessRecycling.com site, where you can find customized instructions for your particular phone model.
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In the absence of a federal recycling program, cell phone recycling is a patchwork of service provider, retailer, and state and local government initiatives. Currently, California has the only state law for cell phone recycling.
California's cell phone recycling act. By July 1, 2006, retailers selling cell phones in the state must have a system in place to collect used phones for reuse, recycling, or proper disposal. The law also requires the state to track the recycling rate of cell phones and publicize the information each year in July, beginning July 1, 2007.
Some smaller municipalities have begun to require cell phone recycling too. To learn whether your municipality has any laws, contact your local waste management agency.
Service provider recycling programs. Most service providers have recycling programs and will take back their equipment for recycling and reuse in what's known as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), or take-back, programs. Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, supports the concept of EPR.
CU has also published a white paper, "Electronic Waste: Finding Sustainable Solutions that Work Better for Consumers" that explores the growing problem of electronic waste. You can read a summary (PDF) or the complete paper (PDF).
Taking out toxics. Cell phone makers are developing new designs that reduce the use of toxins, including brominated flame retardants. California recently passed a ban, which goes into effect in 2008, on the use of some brominated flame retardants after the chemicals were found in fish from the San Francisco Bay.
What industry is not doing...
Cell phone carriers prevent consumers from keeping their phones. Typically, when you switch to a new service provider, you have to get a new phone, even if the new service uses a compatible network. The exception is if you have a GSM phone that can be unlocked. Consumers Union is calling on the Federal Communications Commissions (FCC) to prohibit this anti-competitive practice. To learn more, and see how you can support these efforts, visit our HearUsNow.org.
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