A company in the US has just launced a new programme to encourage mobile phone recycling. MobileRenew aims to manage the life cycle of it’s mobile phones. It is run by mobile device management company Tangoe who are joining up with manufacturers, legistlators and corporations to encourage individuals and enterprises to take responsibility by either recycling their old phones or disposing of them properly so that precious metals can be recovered and toxic chemicals handled accordingly.
Many people are reluctant to recycle their phones because of the lack of assurance that data is removed from the phone when it is recycled. Tangeoe prompts users on what to do at different stages of ownership to ensure that data is backed up before the phone is disposed of or repurchased. Julie Palen, senior vice president says: “When our corporate customers have employees provision new phones through our MDM platform, we will now guide the user through promptsto back up corporate and private data and then help migrate the data to the new or recycled devices, as well as instruct them of what to do with the device they are retiring or upgrading,”.
Regardless of the value of the old phone, when recycled Tangoe gives a percentage of what it makes back to its clients. Where the phones are not worth anything, they guarantee that they wipe the data and dispose of the phone responsibly.