Recycle your old mobile phone How to recycle your mobile phone
Fonebak launched in 2002 and processes 200,000 handsets per month
Recycling is a great way to dispose of your used mobile phone. If you recycle mobile phones you can help the environment, aid charities and even earn money.
Most networks and mobile-phone shops are part of the Fonebak recycling scheme. Fonebak, which is also known now 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.
How to recycle your mobile phone
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 will then send the phone to Fonebak for recycling and the network will then usually make a donation to charity.
Alternatively many charities will let you give the phone to them directly. Both Oxfam and the British Red Cross do this and receive money for each handset they're given.
However, another option, that may generate more money for the charities, is to sell your mobile phone 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 your mobile phone yourself, you're likely to earn a higher reward (especially if it's a valuable model) plus the charity can reclaim your tax through the 'Gift Aid' scheme, which is an extra 28%.
Loyalty card schemes
Most major stores - including Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's - offer pre-paid envelopes in their shops which you can use to send 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 charity Macmillan Cancer Support. It also offers 50 points for any other mobile handset not listed. Register online for an instant valuation of 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.
If you recycle any working mobile phone at Tesco it will award 200 green Clubcard points to Clubcard customers or, alternatively, will make a donation of £2 to a chosen charity. 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.
Once you've decided how to dispose of your old mobile phone, check out our mobile phone brand overview and mobile phone reviews to help you choose your next device.
