Mobile phone users in New Zealand can now start to receive cash for their old mobile phones.
Money4Mobiles.co.nz has set itself the target of recycling as many mobiles as possible in the country and is providing a cash incentive to consumers and businesses to send in their phones with the knowledge that they are also being kind to the environment.
Most of the phones sent in for recycling will be sold on to the developing world and will end up in places like India, China and South America for reuse.
New Zealand has about 1.8 million handsets lying around unused and many of these could be put to good use in developing countries where the demand for mobile phones is high. Consumers will be encouraged to send in their phones to avoid them going to landfill sites where their hazardous components can damage the environment. The bonus is that people will also end up with cash in their pocket.
Consumers will enter their mobile phone details onto the website and be asked to grade the handset’s condition from A (excellent) to D (poor). They will then receive a price that could range from $1 up to $512 and users will receive payment directly into their bank account within five working days.
Phones that cannot be repaired and sent for reuse will be broken down for recycling and the company hope to recycle 75% of phones received. This will prevent dangerous materials such as mercury, lead cadmium and plastics contaminating the environment.