Since it started 10 years ago in 1999, the mobile phone industry’s recycling program has collected and recycled an estimated 4.43 million handsets and batteries.

The program has recycled more than 647 tonnes of mobile phone components, including and 322 tonnes of accessories, which includes enough handsets and batteries to fill an average house or go around the world at least once.

As a result more than 1.4 tonnes of cadmium, 39 tonnes of plastics, 1.4 tonnes of nickel and 11 kilograms of gold and nearly 400 kg of silver have been diverted from landfill and recovered for reuse to make new products such as Plasmar fence posts, stainless steel and jewellery.

The amount of gold recovered is enough to make more than 3,600 wedding rings (assuming 3g of gold per wedding ring)

Mobile phone handsets have transformed both in size, shape and technology over the past decade. They are now smaller, weigh less, and use less energy.

The average weight of a handset has decreased from 145g to 105g and many hazardous materials have been replaced with more environmentally friendly materials.

Similarly, Australians’ use of mobile phones has grown substantially, where 10 years ago the number mobile phone subscribers represented 33.7% of the population. These days the number of mobile phone subscriptions (including wireless broadband) is estimated to be 110% of the Australian population.

Recycling has also become more accessible to the public with the number of drop off points growing from 1,000 to more than 3,500 public drop off points across Australia including Nokia Care and Motorola Service One Centres; mobile phone retailers Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, 3 Mobile, Virgin Mobile, Crazy Johns, Fone Zone, Allphones as well as participating local councils, Cartridge World and Battery World stores and selected ANZ and Sydney Credit Union branches.

People can post in for free their mobile phones for recycling using the reply paid satchels and mailing labels available from Australia post or online at www.mobilemuster.com.au