Cell phone recycling program going strong
Special Olympics Wisconsin (SOWI) continues to help keep cell phones out of land fills and raise funds for our athletes. In the United States, 45,000 cell phones are thrown away every day. In one year, 130 million cell phones are discarded by Americans, contributing to the increasing toxic waste in U.S. landfills.
Through Recycle for Special Olympics, a used cell phone can be refurbished, resold and temporarily diverted from contaminating landfills and incinerators. A recycled phone will provide material for new products and reduce the need for raw materials. One phone will also give SOWI anywhere from $1 to $100 PER PHONE. For every three phones donated, it is estimated that one athlete can train and compete for one season free of charge.
It is easier than ever to recycle your cell phone. Simply place your cell phone(s) in any box or padded envelope then go to http://sowisconsin.onlinedonationcenter.com to print out a free United States Postal Service (USPS) label. Attach the label to the box or envelope and drop it off at any post office.
If you know of a business that is interested in being a collection point for recycling cell phones, visit http://sowisconsin.onlinedonationcenter.com and choose the "Want to become a drop-off location?" option. From here you can request collection boxes, posters and fliers to help collect cell phones. You can also use this Web site to print out free USPS labels to send cell phones in to be recycled.
SOWI has raised over $10,000 statewide through this cell phone recycling promotion -- it's amazing how every little bit adds up.