Recycling Handsets in USA

As Earth Day 2003 approaches on April 22, The USA based Verizon Wireless are promoting their cellphone handset recycling program. Through Verizon Wireless' HopeLine Program, used wireless phones, batteries and accessories from any carrier are refurbished, recycled and/or sold. Proceeds are used to award grants to non-profit and public safety agencies engaged in domestic violence prevention and to purchase phones and airtime, which are provided to agencies for use by victims of abuse.

Phones that cannot be refurbished are recycled in an environmentally sound way.

In the company's West Area alone, 120,000 such phones were collected in 2002. In the last year, West Area has distributed 2,000 refurbished HopeLine phones, each with 3,000 prepaid minutes a year, to organizations that serve victims of domestic violence in California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho and New Mexico. The company is taking the opportunity in the weeks leading up to Earth Day on April 22 to remind consumers to "Take Action for a Health Environment," and donate used phones to HopeLine, a recycling program that goes far beyond the environment. "Nothing is more empowering to these victims of domestic violence, most of whom are women and children, than to know they have a way of communicating instantly with emergency help if they feel threatened and a way to be reachable as they rebuild their lives," said Verizon Wireless' Jan Morris, executive director of Corporate Communications for the West Area. "And, it is gratifying to know that our HopeLine(SM) program also aids the environment."

Since 1995, Verizon Wireless has collected more than 1 million phones, keeping thousands of tons of waste out of the nation's landfills. The company's 1,200 retail outlets will accept donated cell phones from any carrier, regardless of make or model.

In addition to accepting donations from individuals, Verizon Wireless has formed partnerships with cities like San Francisco and San Diego, and companies like Microsoft, which are donating hundreds of used phones for the HopeLine Program."

Posted to the site on 21st April 2003