A new system being tested in the United States hopes to make the recycling of mobile phones much easier and much more lucrative for customers. Currently only about ten percent of mobile phones end up getting recycled, which means that there are literally hundreds of millions of used mobile phones around the world sitting in drawers doing nothing. A company in America hopes to reduce the amount of unused mobile phones which are currently out of circulation by allowing customers an automated way to turn in their unwanted mobile phones.
The project is called EcoATM and is currently being tested at selected stores in Nebraska in the United States, but if the trial goes well similar stations will be set up all over the world. The EcoATM works just like a regular cash ATM, allowing customers a self-service way to recycle their mobile phone. Part of the reason so many phones do not get recycled is that customers are not sure how to do it and some are not even aware that they can do it. EcoATM inc. hopes that their machines will raise the awareness of mobile phone recycling and also make it easier for customers.
The machine will scan a used mobile phone and assess how much it is worth. Customers can then receive a gift card for the amount of the phone which they can use in various stores. If the handset has no value then customers can donate it to charity, which still ensures that even older mobile phones have some value and some reason to be recycled.
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