TerraPass Offers Gift Certificates for Old Cell Phones
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island 
on 07.10.06
We all know that throwing old cell phones and PDAs in the garbage is sooo bad for the environment and recycling is obviously the only way to go. Now some of us are guilty of having them sit around the house, collecting dust in a large box (show of hands here?). I guess we’ve been waiting for the perfect recycling option and now, thanks to our friends at TerraPass, we’ve got a good one. They’ve partnered with a company called RIPMobile who recycles used cell phones and PDAs. RIPMobile are the leaders in their industry for environmental best practices and also happen to be the only carbon neutral company in their industry. Unlike many recyclers, RIPMobile will accept any used cell phone, regardless of economic value and will even pay your postage. RIPMobile handles all materials according to EPA standards and in compliance with the stringent requirements of the Basel Action Network. Through this new partnership, TerraPass will pay you in gift certificates for your old phones that can be applied to any of their products. Every cell phone has a value and my current LG, which will be expiring in a few months, is currently valued at $43! Thanks to Groovy Green for the tip! ::TerraPass
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Or...you can support many non-profits by donating to RIPMobile's sister company (founded by same person) which is called CollectiveGood. For example, SustainUS (the US youth network for sustainable development) is running a cell phone collection campaign as their first big fundraiser.
I was really excited about this program, because I've had a phone laying around for about a year. Unfortunately, if you read their User Agreement, you'll find this "Each cell phone sent in for payment has to be in working condition in order. They must power-up and make an industry standard test call. They may not be broken; this means crushed, water damaged or broken LCD's. Plastic cases should be complete uncracked and unbroken."
So, what happens to those slightly damaged phones? I guess they get to hang out in my apartment for another year or so!
In Canada, at least one phone company, Bell, acccepts old cell phones and used rechargeable batteries. I don't know about the other Canadian phone companies, and I don't work for Bell, I just had a Bell cell phone. Bell's website says they donate some of these reusable cell phones to Canadian charitable programs such as women's shelters, Communities on Phone Patrol, and various registered children's charities. The rest of the reusable phones are resold to foreign countries. Any phones that can't be reused are recycled for material recovery.
Amy, according to the site you can still send the phone, postage-paid, for recycling and if it's broken they just won't pay you. Fine by me.