While making The Secret Life of Cell Phones video, we discovered that many phones collected here in the U.S. are not tested to see if they work before being sold. Non-working phones that are nonetheless sold may make their way to a developing country that has no infrastructure to dispose of them responsibly. Help prevent the dumping of electronic waste in developing countries!

Please print out this letter and include it with your phone when you recycle it.

1. Download letter - [PDF]
2. Print letter and sign it.
3. Include letter with phone when you mail it or turn it in to a retailer.

Here is the letter for your review:

Dear Recycler,

As you probably know, cell phones can be classified as hazardous waste according to The California Department of Toxic Substances Control, which conducted an analysis using EPA test methods. I am aware that non-working cell phones, parts or batteries are sometimes exported to developing countries where infrastructure does not exist to properly manage this kind of waste. I am writing to urge you not to engage in this practice.

Instead, when recycling my phone, I hope that you will follow the United Nations’ Mobile Phone Partnership Initiative Decision Tree Procedure, that provides guidance on international shipments of used and end-of-life cell phones so they are managed in an environmentally responsible way.

I also hope that you will sign the Electronics Recycler’s Pledge of True Stewardship and become an e-Steward. E-Stewards agree to uphold a rigorous set of social and environmental criteria and pledge that neither they nor their vendors will engage in the export of hazardous materials. They also refuse to dump these materials in local landfills or incinerators.

Thank you in advance for taking these crucial steps to protect our environment and human health.

Sincerely,



________________
P.S. To find out more about the Decision Tree and e-Stewards:

Decision Tree:
http://www.basel.int/industry/mppi/MPPI%20Guidance%20Document.doc [see Appendix 4(b)]

e-Stewards: http://www.ban.org

This letter was generated from The Secret Life website, a project of INFORM, Inc.
http://www.secret-life.org | http://www.informinc.org

PLEASE PRACTICE RESPONSIBLE RECYCLING

 

 

Click here for details on recycling your phone.