Are cell phones that are collected for reuse or recycling going to be managed in a safe way?
Most cell phones that are collected in the US go either to a charitable organization for reuse or to a relatively small number of US companies who refurbish them for reuse and recycle those that cannot be reused. Although there is some market for used cell phones in the US (such as domestic abuse programs), the principal markets for used and refurbished cell phones are in Latin America and South America. The marketing of used cell phones in these developing economies avails many people the access to modern communication technology who would not otherwise be able to afford it. In nearly all cases, collected cell phones that are obsolete or irreparable are sent to environmentally sound smelters in Canada or Europe for recovery of copper and precious metals.
