If you’ve never recycled an old mobile phone before then you probably have many questions about the process. Here are the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions.

What should I send with my mobile phone?

Each recycling company is different but most only required your phone and battery. That means they don’t need your charger, memory cards or any other accessories you might have. If you send accessories with the phone they’ll usually be recycled so be careful about what you send. You should always check the specific requirements for the company you’re using though.

Can I Recycle Multiple Mobile Phones At The Same Time?

Most companies allow you to recycle as many phones as you like. The catch is that each phone will have to be processed individually so you won’t get all of your money at the same time. Nevertheless, if you have multiple old phones that you don’t need any more then there you can sell them all with the same company.

Sometimes you’ll have to send all the phones separately while some companies allow you to send as many phones as you want in the same envelope.

How Can I Tell When My Mobile Has Arrived Safely?

Most of the time the company will contact you via email when the mobile phone has arrived. However, you should be aware that this can take up to two weeks if the phone is travelling via Freepost with the Royal Mail. You can also call the company directly to find out whether they’ve received your phone.

Am I Guaranteed The Price On The Website?

The short answer is no – the price on the website is only the maximum you’ll receive if the phone works correctly. If there is only a small amount of external damage to the phone then you should receive this full price. If, however, there is a lot damage to the phone or it doesn’t work correctly then you won’t receive this full price. The company will contact you with a revised offer depending on the extent of the damage and how difficult it will be to repair. At this stage you could always ask them to return your phone though as there is no obligation to take their offer.

What’s the environmental benefit of recycling a mobile phone?

There are two main environmental benefits to recycling an old mobile phone. The first is that the chemicals contained within the phone won’t end up in the environment and the second is that the phone won’t fill up landfill sites.

Mobile phones are made out of plastic and metal amongst other things. This means they don’t biodegrade for a very long time and hence throwing them away fills up landfill sites quickly. If you can imagine how much space a million mobile phones would take up you have some idea as to how large the scale of the problem is. This, coupled with the fact that every one of the phones thrown away contains poisonous chemicals makes it essential that more mobiles are recycled.