It's absurd that the planet & its creatures must suffer for us to enjoy electronics. That's why we focus on the issues surrounding gadgets AND offer consumers a way to join in the solution by recycling them.
Gadgets we recycle:
cell phones, smartphones, iPhones, iPods, iPads, tablets, Apple\Android watches, bluetooth, tablets. GPS, MP3 players, e-readers, digital cameras, handheld gaming systems and the accessories that come with them.
We don't care if your gadgets are broken, old, locked, drowned or bedazzled.
The point is-conserve species, deter e-waste and get in/evolved.
Please note that our program is geared for recycling projects, not individual buybacks
PARTNERS IN ACTION!
See our program in action at the highest profile conservation organizations on the planet and learn how they turn recycling electronics into the conservation of critically endangered species.
CINCINNATI ZOO- Project Saving Species
Project Saving Species provides a direct way for guests and supporters to join the Zoo in making a difference by recycling cell phones. Funds raised go directly to field conservation projects across the globe, including western lowland gorilla studies in the Congo.
JANE GOODALL INSTITUTE-Why did we choose ECO-CELL?
"Electronic recycling is a complicated industry and only a company with the right motivations and practices could align with JGI's mission to protect chimpanzees, and all great apes, as well as the environment we share."
The Action for Apes Challenge is a yearly contest hosted by the Houston Zoo to see which school or community organization can recycle the most cell phones. By recycling old phones with the zoo you can help protect animals like chimpanzees and gorillas that live in areas where cell phone materials are mined.
"When you recycle your phone through ECO-CELL, it determines the phone’s value and then sends CREDO the money. CREDO donates 100% of the money it receives to nonprofit groups."
"ECO-CELL has been a supporter of the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education (GRACE) Center in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since 2012. They have donated dozens of Blackberry phones to our project, and this has significantly improved our ability to care for orphaned Grauer's gorillas.
-Sonya Kahlenberg, Ph.D., GRACE Executive Director
From Buffalo to Salt Lake City and Dallas to Toronto - An amazing zoo and aquarium partner movement across the continent collecting mobile phones for gorilla conservation. Recycling old phones/electronics raises money to directly support gorilla conservation initiatives through Gorilla SAFE programs.
Apes and Gadgets?
Electronics are connected to apes via an ore called Coltan (columbite-tantalite\tantalum). Tantalum coats the capacitors inside gadgets which makes them energy efficient. This ore is found in great quantity in the Congo, home to the critically endangered gorilla and chimpanzee. These species are being killed by rebel bands mining Coltan. The U.N. has reported that in the past five years the eastern lowland gorilla population in the Congo has declined 90%. Recycling your cell phones with ECO-CELL helps save these animals by reducing the demand for Coltan and by providing funds for our partners like the Cincinnati Zoo, The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Intl. and the Jane Goodall Institute who are actively engaged in protecting these species.
"When we heard of ECO-CELL we were like-that is a no brainer to collaborate with that program. Here we are talking about Coltan and now we can give people a tangible to help gorillas directly through recycling cell phones." -Ron Evans Curator of Primates, Cincinnati Zoo
Electronics done right
Electronics have a tremendous impact on the planet, more so than any other consumer product. That is because it takes a ton of energy and resources to make a gadget (a single smartphone requires 13 tons of water and 18M² of land to create!) Not to mention the extensive list of rare minerals and metals required- several of which are mined in endangered species habitats. In short, gadgets are not being designed and consumed ethically. By extending the lifespan of technology using modular design and reclaiming the precious metals in gadgets we can create new markets and jobs, reduce stress on the environment, and deter toxic waste from our landfills.
FACT: It is estimated that 1.5 billion smartphones are sold worldwide annually. According to the EPA, less than 20 percent of unwanted cell phones are recycled each year. In the US alone there are more than half a billion cell phones ready for recycling, and more than 11 million phones are added to that total each month.
The chemistry of gadgets
Electronics are incredibly complex and contain nearly all the elements on the periodic table. Notably, rare earth metals as well as silver and gold. It is estimated that the average smartphone contains 30mg of gold and 300mg of silver which can be reclaimed by recycling.
There are also many toxins found in gadgets. Landfilling gadgets pollutes groundwater with lead, magnesium, arsenic and antimony among others. The effects of exposure to these elements range from kidney damage and cancer to Alzheimer's disease.
Conflict Minerals
Conflict minerals are natural resources extracted in a conflict zone and sold to perpetuate fighting for profit. There are 4 main conflict resources that are essential to the creation of cell phones and they are found in great quantities in Africa. These are Gold, Tantalum (Coltan), Tungsten and Tin. Tantalum, is used in cell phones to coat capacitors which makes the devices very energy efficient. Tungsten is the material that is used to make a cell phone vibrate. Solid state electronic devices use very low voltages and currents which are easily interrupted by corrosion or tarnish at the contact points. Gold is the highly efficient conductor that can carry these tiny currents and remain free of corrosion. Tin is used for solder on circuit boards.
"Worldwide, the consumer electronics and jewelry retail industries are among the largest end-users of tin, tungsten, tantalum, and gold (3TG), which they use in a wide array of products, from wedding rings to smartphones. These minerals have been linked to mass atrocities in eastern Congo through financing armed groups and state military units that have committed serious abuses like rape and abductions. For decades, activists and affected communities in Congo have called attention to these links."
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About ECO-CELL
SMALL BUSINESS
ECO-CELL was founded in 2003, or as we saw it "the year of the Nokia 8310". That is when we learned about the connection between gorillas and cell phones at the Louisville Zoo. Nearly 1 MILLION cell phones later we are still at it. In short we are small, family owned and operated business in Louisville Kentucky that is 100% focused on the environment. Some days we win, some days we lose but regardless we try and keep it real.
STRICTLY NO-LANDFILL
We reuse first and then recycle because It takes a TON of energy and resources to create an electronic device. Plus its best for the environment if we use it until it is obsolete. Once a device is determined to be "end of life" we recycle it properly with certified smelting and reclamation firms AKA "The Downstream".
ACCESSIBLE
For real talk give us a shout at 502.565.7829 or email eric@eco-cell.com. We would LOVE to hear from you about any aspect of the program or just to chat.
FLEXIBLE
One size does not fit all in this business. If you have an idea about the program and wish to engage us in an unconventional way we look forward to hearing how.
FAQ's
How do we get paid?
The process is very straightforward: collect as many electronic gadgets as possible and send them to ECO-CELL (Don't worry we pay shipping). When the phones arrive at ECO-CELL we determine their reuse\resale value. If they can be reused we resell them and pass as much $$$ back to you as possible. If your gadgets are obsolete we recycle them properly and pay you their recycle value. After we process your shipment we follow it up with an itemized statement of your order and a check within 30-45 days.
Is there a cost to our organization?
Absolutely not! Your time and labor to aggressively promote your collection are the only costs.
Does ECO-CELL pick up?
Yes, and it's free.
Why should people recycle their gadgets with ECO-CELL?
Because we are a family owned and operated micro-business trying to scratch out a living in an unconventional, environment-first kind of way.
What electronic gadgets do you recycle?
cell phones, smartphones, iPhones, iPods, iPads, tablets, Apple\Android watches, bluetooth, tablets. GPS, MP3 players, e-readers, digital cameras, handheld gaming systems and the accessories that come with them.
What happens to the gadgets, batteries and accessories that can't be reused?
All items which can't be reused are recycled via R2 certified or better reclamation companies.
How does ECO-CELL use the information it collects from its participants?
ECO-CELL is an ANTI-SPAM company. Under no circumstances will ECO-CELL rent, sell, loan or otherwise mistreat any information collected from its participants.
DATA SECURITY: What do I need to do before I send my gadgets to ECO-CELL?
ECO-CELL does not clear data from the devices it recycles. It is highly recommended that you clear data from your devices before sending them in for recycling. If unsure of this procedure please visit this link for instructions NYT\Wirecutter article for data erasure.
-For Apple devices please turn off "FMI" Find my iPhone, remove iCloud account and remove screen lock password.
-For Android users please log out of all Google and Samsung accounts before recycling then remove any screen lock password.
*Please note that ECO-CELL does factory reset\erase devices recycled via our partnership with Credo Mobile, provided they are not screen locked and in working order.
My organization is a FOR PROFIT? Can I still work with you?
Absolutely! We love working with corporations and FOR-PROFITS. Email eric@eco-cell.com to get involved.
1 Riverside Dr
Camden, NJ 08103
800 Fort Negley Blvd
Nashville, TN 37203
1664 Venable Road
Hope Hull, AL 36043
903 10th St. SW
Albuquerque, NM 87104
Audubon Zoo
6500 Magazine St.
New Orleans, LA 70118
Binder Park Zoo
7400 Division Dr.
Battle Creek, MI 49014
7401 SW 9th Street
Des Moines, IA 50315
Brevard Zoo
8225 N. Wickham Rd.
Melbourne, FL 32940
8400 W 31st St
Brookfield, IL 60513
300 Parkside Ave
Buffalo, NY 14214
Central Florida Zoo
3755 W Seminole Blvd.
Sanford, FL 32771
01 N Holtzclaw Ave.
Chattanooga, TN 37404
4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Road
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
3400 Vine St.
Cincinnati, OH 45220
3900 Wildlife Way
Cleveland, OH 44109
Columbus Zoo
4850 W Powell Rd.
Powell, OH 43065
1225 Estabrook Dr.
St Paul, MN 55103
650 South R.L. Thornton Freeway
Dallas, TX 75203
8450 W 10 Mile Rd
Royal Oak, MI 48067
5048 - 264th Street
Aldergrove, BC V4W 1N7
Gulf Breeze Zoo
5701 Gulf Breeze Parkway
Gulf Breeze, FL 32563
Happy Hollow
1300 Senter Road
San Jose, CA 95112
Henry Vilas Zoo
702 S Randall Ave.
Madison, WI 53715
6200 Hermann Park Dr.
Houston, TX 77030
1595 Spring Hill Rd. Suite 550
Vienna, VA 22182
Jenkinson's Aquarium
300 Ocean Avenue
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742
6800 Zoo Dr, Kansas City, MO 64132
2001 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60614
2003 Lion Country Safari Rd.
Loxahatchee, FL 33470
5333 Zoo Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
1100 Trevilian Way
Louisville, KY 40213
1 Safari Place
Baltimore, MD 21217
Memphis Zoo
2000 Prentiss Pl
Memphis, TN 38112
10001 W Bluemound Rd
Milwaukee, WI 53226
13000 Zoo Blvd.
Apple Valley, MN 55124
4401 Zoo Pkwy
Asheboro, NC 27205
9777 Golf Links Rd.
Oakland, CA 94605
2101 NE 50th St.
Oklahoma City, OK 73111
Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
7340 Butler St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Zoological Dr
Philadelphia, PA 19104
500 Wildlife Parkway
Columbia, SC 29210
Racine Zoo
2131 N Main St,
Racine, WI 53402
1000 Elmwood Avenue
Providence, Rhode Island 02907
1219 Burdick Expressway East
Minot, ND 58701
500 Niños Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
Sloat Blvd and Upper Great Hwy
San Francisco, CA 94132
Smithsonian's National Zoo
3001 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC 20008
1 Government Dr.
St Louis, MO 63110
2 Hippo Way
Toledo, OH 43609
2600 East Sunnyside Avenue
Salt Lake City, Utah 84108
CREDO Mobile customer? Click here to obtain a free USPS shipping label to recycle your old handhelds. 100% of the proceeds from your recycling benefits nonprofit groups that CREDO supports including Rainforest Action Network and the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
3500 Granby St.
Norfolk, VA 23504
Virginia Safari Park
229 Safari Lane
Natural Bridge, VA 24578
75 Gashes Creek Rd
Asheville, NC 28805
5500 Phinney Ave N.
Seattle, WA 98103
800 Cherokee Ave.
Atlanta, GA 30315
Zoo Boise
355 Julia Davis Drive
Boise, Idaho 83702
Zoo Miami
12400 SW 152nd St.
Miami, FL 3317
1 Franklin Park Rd.
Boston, MA 02121
