Everyone has old mobile phones. According to a previous study, the average lifespan of a mobile phone is roughly two years. This gives any handset enough time to be fully used to it’s worth, and live through twenty four months of being knocked around, left battery drained (or over charged), falling off coffee tables, collecting dirt, grime & lint and basically getting obsolete for every week that has passed since its’ original purchase.
At the end of two years, the most natural thing to do for everyone is to get a new mobile phone. The big question now is: what happens to the older one?
The answer is actually a lot more varied than what one might think. Some folks keep their old phones and use new numbers on those (turning it into an alternative handset). While others prefer a more financially sound approach: selling the handset off. Selling a mobile phone is not as easy as one might think. For newer models, getting an interested buyer from a tech forums or an online site is easy. But for mobile phones that are already two years old, selling it off is not as rewarding.
In the event that finding a buyer proves difficult, the most reasonable plan is to take the phone to a local recycling centre. While this may seem like a waste, it is not. Not only does this practice ensure that the handset does not add to our carbon footprint, but many recycling centres also provide cash incentives for people that bring mobile phones in.
Speaking of recycling centres, the operators of such facilities and institutions have recently sworn to seek out devices that are stolen. This will prevent thieves and other malicious individuals for using recycling centres as the place to dispose of their stolen wares.
Tags: old-phones, phone-recycling