With over 23 million unused mobile phones being discarded each year the opportunities for mobile phone recycling are attracting a lot of interest amongst Australian corporates. One by-product of this burgeoning market is the interest being generated by Mobile Muster. Mobile Muster is managed by the Australian MobileTelecommunications Association (AMTA), on behalf of handset manufacturers, and the major carriers, including Telstra and Optus.
MobileMuster provides a free mobile phone recycling program that accepts all brands and types of mobile phones, plus their batteries, chargers and accessories. It is the mobile phone industry’s way of ensuring old mobile phone products can be collected and don’t end up in landfill – but instead are recycled in a safe, secure and ethical way.
Working with Not-for profit, Oz Harvest, Mobile Harvest ran a campaign last summer collecting 60,000 mobiles, and generating 60,000 meals for those in need. This summer the campaign is looking to collect another 70,000 mobiles in conjunction with the same charity.
Fiona Nearn, spokesperson for Oz Harvest, estimated that more than three million Australians experienced food insecurity each year. She said the new initiative’s roll out was also a timely reminder for people to be mindful about waste during the festive season.
MobileMuster’s model sees the returned phones destroyed with 99% of the materials being available for reuse. The company also ensures donors that there are no issues with personal data security. The industry –funded recycle scheme has drop-off points around the country.
Recycal is a strong advocate of the recycling industry putting back into the community. It actively supports more than 10 charities, community groups and sporting clubs around Australia. This commitment is borne out of philanthropic desire to make a difference and helping those less fortunate in the community, who have problems socially or are in need of community support.
