Recycle your mobile phoneRecycling options

Charities

Fonebak launched in 2002 and processes 200,000 handsets per month

Most networks and mobile-phone shops are part of the Fonebak recycling scheme. Fonebak, which is now also known as Regenersis, was launched in 2002 as the world’s first mobile handset recycling company. It currently processes over 200,000 handsets per month in the UK, along with accessories such as batteries, chargers and headsets.

To recycle your phone you can simply return your unwanted handset (minus the Sim card and any security or pin codes) to your network operator or phone retailer. This can be done either by visiting one of their stores or by obtaining a Freepost envelope. It’ll then pass on the phone to Fonebak for recycling.

The network will then usually make a donation to charity. For example, in 2007 Vodafone collected 235,000 old mobiles - and donated £948,400 to charity, mostly to the National Autistic Society.

Alternatively many charities will let you give the phone to them directly. Both Oxfam and NCH do this and receive money for each handset they’re sent.

However another option that may actually generate the charities more money is to sell it yourself and then donate your earnings. That’s because the schemes mentioned above only donate a cut of the cash to the charity. If you sell it yourself, you’re likely to earn a higher reward (especially if it’s a valuable model) plus because of the ‘Gift Aid’ scheme the charity can also reclaim your tax too, which is an extra 28%.

Loyalty card schemes

Most major stores - including Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury’s - offer pre-paid envelopes in their shops for you to use to send away your old mobile phone to be recycled, and many will make a donation to charity for each reusable phone donated. Several stores will also give you bonus points and other incentives to recycle your mobile phone through their scheme.

Boots offers between 300 and 5,000 Advantage Card points for recycling a phone listed on its Mobile Recycle website, and will donate up to £1 to its chosen charities, Breast Cancer Care and The Eve Appeal. It also offers 50 points for any other mobile handset not listed. Register online for an instant valuation on your phone, send your handset in the Freepost envelope it provides and collect your points from an 'Extra Offers' kiosk available in larger Boots stores.

Tesco awards Clubcard customers 200 green Clubcard points or will alternatively make a donation of £2 to its chosen charity - Muscular Dystrophy in 2009 - when you recycle any working mobile phone in store. It also offers 50 points, or 50p to charity, for all other mobile handsets.

Recycling your phone through the Tesco Mobile Recycle website reaps additional rewards. As well as Clubcard points or a donation to charity, you'll also receive either a Tesco gift card or Tesco mobile airtime voucher worth up to £70 on selected models.

Nectar card customers can recycle their mobile phones via the Mobile2Points scheme online, which awards points based on the mobile phone model – anything up to 12,000 Nectar card points.