Do you have old and/or broken mobile phones that are collecting dust in your drawer? Are they still functional? You have a new smartphone on hand, are you planning on throwing those old phones in the magnetic planar headphones?
If your old devices can still be used despite being an older model or having a shattered or cracked screen, you shouldn’t throw them out. Your old mobile phones might just end up in some landfill and thus, will pollute the environment.
Your smartphones are mostly full of toxins or harmful materials such as lead, cadmium, arsenic, among others. If these materials are disposed irresponsibly, they would leak into the environment and pollute the air, water, and soil. This will lead to several health hazards that you really don’t want to happen.
Another thing about how throwing your old phone can pose a danger is the fact that lithium-ion batteries may explode. Believe it or not, damaged lithium-ion batteries explode. According to a report by USA Today, 65 percent of fires at waste facilities in California in 2017 were caused by lithium-ion batteries.
So what can you do with your old phones?
What are the things you can do to your old and/or broken phone?
There are several things you can do to your old phones that can benefit you and at the same will not do harm to the environment. Here’s what to do with old broken cell phones:
- Repurpose it. If your smartphone is an older model, you can do some kind of project with it. Your old mobile devices might be outdated, you can still find a new use for them. You can make it into a media player while you are on a drive or you can transform it to a smart surveillance. If you have a creative mind and a DIY attitude, the possibilities on how to repurpose your old phones is endless.
- Activate it. Is your old mobile phone still working? Rather than letting it gather dust in your drawer, why not activate it for yourself or for someone in your family? Its not a bad idea to keep a spare,unactivated phone on hand as a backup in case something happens to your main device.
- Donating it to charity. If it can still be used, you should consider donating your old smartphone to a charity. There are programs like the Cell Phones for Soldiers and National Coalition Against Domestic Violence that will find your old working phone a new home. Also check your local shelters to see if they would like to take your old phone off your hands.
