MobileMuster is encouraging all residents to recycle their old mobile phones, batteries, chargers and accessories during Keep Australia Beautiful Week, from Monday 25 August to Sunday 31 August.

MobileMuster, the official recycling program of the mobile phone industry, is a major sponsor of Keep Australia Beautiful Week and is encouraging consumers, schools and businesses to score points for the environment by recycling their old mobiles.

Rose Read, Manager of Australian Mobile Telecommunication Association’s (AMTA) recycling program, MobileMuster, says there are an estimated 16 million old mobile phones, stored in homes and offices, and at least 4 million of these are no longer in use and are ready to be recycled now.

“In Sydney alone, there are at least three million mobile phones in storage, of which 1.7 million are no longer in use and can be recycled immediately,” she said.

“Over 90% of the materials in mobile phones, batteries, chargers and accessories will be recovered and used to make new items including plastic fence posts.

“All the mobile phones collected by MobileMuster are taken to e-waste specialist recycler, MRI, at Wetherill Park where they are sorted and separated into there various parts. The plastics from the handsets and chargers are then sent to Australian Composite Technologies, where together with other plastics are turned into fence posts.”

Since the recycling program was initiated in 1999, MobileMuster has collected 499 tonnes of mobile phone handsets, batteries and accessories for recycling. This equates to 3.5 million handsets and batteries and over 236 tonnes of accessories.

Ms Read said: “I encourage all residents to score some points for their environment by handing in all their old mobile phones stashed away at home for recycling during Keep Australia Beautiful Week.”

Residents can drop off their mobile phones at hundreds of MobileMuster collection points 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 stores and ANZ branches, recycling couldn’t be easier.

Alternatively you can pick up a free recycling satchel at participating Australia Post stores or by downloading a free reply paid label from www.mobilemuster.com.au

To locate your nearest MobileMuster drop-off point, visit www.mobilemuster.com.au, or contact 1300 730 070.