As a society, we are consuming and discarding phones and other electronics at an unprecedented rate. The average American now owns 4 digital devices and the US generates over 7 million tons of e-waste annually. Recycling these devices is critical for conserving resources, protecting the environment, and supporting a more circular economy.
One of the easiest ways to recycle your unwanted phones, including old flip phones, is through Verizon‘s device recycling program. In this in-depth guide, we‘ll cover everything you need to know about recycling your phones with Verizon.
Verizon‘s Commitment to Phone Recycling
Verizon has been a leader in promoting mobile phone recycling for over two decades. The company launched its "HopeLine" phone donation and recycling program back in 2001 and has since collected over 12 million devices for recycling or refurbishment. In 2019 alone, Verizon recycled 1.5 million devices.
Through its "Recycle Forward" initiative, Verizon partners with R2 certified recyclers like Close the Loop and HYLA Mobile to ensure all devices are processed responsibly and locally per the highest industry and environmental standards. The recyclers break down devices to recover valuable materials like:
- Gold
- Silver
- Palladium
- Copper
- Aluminum
- Cobalt
- Plastic
According to Verizon‘s latest ESG report, the company has recycled over 2.8 million pounds of e-waste since 2015. Just last year, recycling old phones generated:
- 148,000 lbs of copper
- 8,540 lbs of silver
- 857 lbs of gold
- 282 lbs of palladium
At current market prices, the gold alone recovered from Verizon‘s recycled phones in 2021 is worth over $24 million. Recycling phones also conserves significant energy – recycling one million phones saves enough energy to power over 1,900 US households for a year.
How to Recycle Your Phone at Verizon
Recycling any old phone, flip phone or smartphone at Verizon is quick and easy. Here‘s how it works:
- Bring your unwanted phone (from any carrier or brand) to a participating Verizon retail store
- Remove any SIM card, memory card, or phone case and delete your personal data
- Place the device and battery in the on-site recycling bin
- Fill out the prepaid shipping label if recycling by mail
There is no charge for recycling and you don‘t need to be a Verizon customer. Verizon accepts all phones and wireless devices regardless of condition – even old or damaged flip phones. The company will also recycle tablets, mobile hotspots, and phone accessories.
It‘s important to note that you should not place phones or any electronics in your curbside recycling bin as they can damage recycling equipment and may even cause fires. Verizon has over 9,000 retail locations that offer free phone recycling.
What Happens to Your Recycled Phone
Once collected, Verizon sends devices to its recycling partners for processing and material recovery. Here‘s a breakdown of what typically happens:
- Devices are inspected and sorted by model and condition
- Any phones that can be refurbished are cleaned, repaired and resold
- Obsolete or damaged phones are manually disassembled into component parts
- Parts like circuit boards, screens and batteries are separated and shredded
- Metals are smelted and purified back into raw materials for reuse
- Plastics are melted and extruded into pellets to make new products
The US EPA estimates that recycling one million phones can recover 35,274 lbs of copper, 772 lbs of silver, 75 lbs of gold, and 33 lbs of palladium. These materials are then sold as commodities to make new electronics and other products.
An analysis by Verizon and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) found that recycling 6 million phones can conserve 2.9 million pounds of copper, nickel, gold, lead, and other heavy metals. It also saves 56 billion BTUs of energy, enough to power over 1500 homes for a year.
The Benefits of Phone Recycling
There are many compelling economic and environmental reasons to recycle old phones and electronics:
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Conserving resources: Recycling recovers valuable materials that can be reused, reducing the need to mine finite raw resources. The EPA estimates recycling one million phones conserves over 35,000 lbs of copper alone.
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Saving energy: Recycling metals from e-waste uses 80% less energy than mining virgin ore. Apple claims recycling aluminum from old devices takes 95% less energy than mining new aluminum.
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Protecting the environment: E-waste contains toxic substances like lead, mercury and brominated flame retardants. Recycling prevents these from contaminating soil and groundwater in landfills. According to a United Nations University report, recycling the gold, silver, palladium and copper in e-waste could cut carbon emissions by 2.54 megatons annually.
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Creating jobs: The e-waste recycling industry employs approximately 45,000 full-time workers in the US, according to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. These are mostly green jobs that pay above the national average.
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Supporting digital inclusion: Phone recycling programs like Verizon‘s HopeLine provide free refurbished phones to non-profits and domestic violence survivors. This helps bridge the digital divide for low income communities.
Consumer Trends and Challenges in Phone Recycling
Despite the clear benefits, the US EPA estimates that less than 20% of e-waste is recycled and only 12% of mobile phones are recycled. A consumer survey by Nokia found that 74% of people don‘t know how or where to recycle their old phones and 72% have never recycled a phone before.
Another challenge is that many people prefer to keep their old phones as a spare or "just in case" rather than recycling them. The average US household has 3-5 unused phones sitting in drawers. An estimated $9 billion worth of smartphones are hibernating in homes.
However, younger consumers are leading the way in more sustainable consumption of electronics:
- 73% of millennials are willing to spend more on sustainable products
- 59% of Gen Zers have recycled a smartphone compared to only 29% of Boomers
- 64% of millennials believe companies should provide free recycling for devices
To meet consumer demand and regulatory requirements, most major phone retailers and carriers like Verizon, Apple, Best Buy and Staples now offer free phone recycling. 26 states have passed e-waste recycling laws requiring manufacturers to provide free and convenient recycling for electronics.
The Future of Phone Recycling
The wireless industry has set a goal of reaching a 100% phone recycling rate. To get there, companies like Verizon are investing in more consumer education and outreach to drive awareness and participation in recycling programs.
On the recycling side, new technologies and infrastructure are needed to better automate the dismantling and sorting of phones and recover even more materials. For example, Apple now uses a recycling robot called "Daisy" that can disassemble 200 iPhones per hour and recover components like rare earth magnets.
Experts believe a more circular economic model is needed where phones are designed with recycling in mind and old devices are seen as sources of parts and materials for new production. Governments can help by mandating more recycled content in new electronics.
The ultimate goal is to minimize the need for recycling altogether by extending the lifespan of devices through repair, refurbishment and reuse. Manufacturers should work to make phones more durable, modular and upgradeable. Carriers like Verizon are offering more affordable refurbished devices and repair services.
Get Started Recycling with Verizon
Recycling your old phone with Verizon couldn‘t be more simple and convenient. Just gather up any old devices, remove your personal data and accessories, and take them to your nearest Verizon store for recycling. If you can‘t make it to a store, you can print a prepaid mailing label from Verizon‘s website.
With over 9,000 stores nationwide offering free recycling, there‘s no excuse not to recycle your phone once you‘re done with it. Not only will you be decluttering your drawers, but you‘ll be conserving natural resources, protecting the environment, and maybe even helping someone in need.
If we all do our part to recycle old devices, we can work towards a world with zero e-waste and a more sustainable model of electronics consumption. As a leading wireless carrier, Verizon is committed to making phone recycling as easy and impactful as possible.
