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To Have and to Put on Hold

EPA launches cell-phone recycling campaign

Posted at 12:40 PM on 08 Jan 2008

As many as 150 million cell phones are taken out of service in the U.S. each year, and some 80 percent end up in the landfill, where they leach toxins into the air and water. In an attempt to address the problem, the U.S. EPA today launched a campaign to boost cell-phone reuse and recycling. Eleven companies -- AT&T, Best Buy, LG Electronics, Motorola, Nokia, Office Depot, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Sprint, Staples, and T-Mobile -- are partnering on the campaign and will collect phones and hold recycling events. "Each partner will still have its own program," says Mark Buckley of Staples, "but E.P.A. is providing a standardized message to consumers." That message is a tagline even our pun-lovin' hearts find groan-worthy: "Recycle Your Cell Phone. It's an Easy Call."

source:  The New York Times
see also, in Grist:  Umbra advises on cell phones vs. land lines

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Elephants & Living Rooms

The problem no one here is discussing about cell phones and other wireless devices is that they, along with the systems needed for their operation, emit electromagnetic radiation.  Because the industries will lie and propagate whatever propaganda they can to dissuade us from believing that this radiation is harmful, it could be decades before anything is proven.  The situation with tobacco is eerily similar.

Anti-cell phone and anti-wireless groups and movements are starting to take hold in many cities.  These people will probably be considered visionaries of the same sort as people who knew long ago that smoking is medically harmful.  But emitting radiation is worse, because it affects those of us who don't use cell phones, including all non-humans.  In order to function, a cell phone or wireless system has antennas that emit radiation to which we are all exposed.

If people want to expose themselves to non-ionizing radiation in the hope that it won't cause any ill effects at less than thermal levels, that's their business.  But the rest of the planet should not have to be exposed to this pollution.  I agree with Umbra that cell phones are annoying as hell, but I'm even more concerned that we're nuking the planet with radiation (the non-radioactive type).

How old is too old?

When I called my phone vendor to get a new battery for my year old phone I was told the phone was no longer supported. I was quickly offered the opportunity to buy another and no mention of recycling my old phone ever came up. No wonder there are so many phones being disposed. I was told consumers want the latest technology so older models are not supported. What is this world coming to if a product is not worth keeping after only one year.  Is the problem us? I'd keep my phone until it fell apart if I could just get a battery.

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