FAQs
Why should you recycle cell phones and or MP3's?
There are literally millions of cell phones and their harmful components
cluttering our landfills. Help save the planet by recycling your cell phones with Berry Smartphones Recycling.
This will help keep our landfills free of harmful waste.
What happens to the cell phones?
About 80% of phones that are bought
or collected through Berry Smartphones Recycling are refurbished and reused so that they can have a longer life. The other
20% are recycled within the United States according to EPA standards. Cell phone accessories are also sorted into two
categories. Working accessories are resold for continued use. Non-working accessories are recycled within the U.S. according
to EPA standards. We know that together Berry Smartphones Recycling and our partners can keep millions of cell
phones and accessories out of landfills.
What happens to the information that is on the cell phone?
Whether a phone will be refurbished or recycled, the memory of
each phone is 'flashed' to wipe out any previous information stored on the phone and allow for reprogramming. However, for
maximum privacy Berry Smartphones Recycling recommends that you clear out all existing data from your phone before it is sent
in.
What cell phones do you accept?
We accept all makes and models of cellular
phones. Even cell phones that you might consider junk are worth $0.25 and the best makes and models can bring $35 to the school
or charitable organization of your choice.
How many used cell phones
are really out there?
According to the CTIA, 150 million phones are retired every year. It's
our goal to promote widespread cell phone collection programs in order to collect charitable contributions and keep toxic
materials out of landfills.
Don't most people just throw their phones out?
We hope
not! Unfortunately, many cell phones contain materials that become hazardous as the components break down in landfills. About
75% of retired phones are still stored in the users home and an estimated 15% have made it into landfills according to a study
done by INFORM. The more we can communicate about cell phone collection programs, the more materials we can keep out
of landfills.
