Recycle for Rainforests!
African rainforests and the animals that live there are under threat. You can make a difference by recycling your out-of-use cell phone(s).
By donating your old cell phone(s), you:
- Keep hazardous substances, found inside cell phones and other electronics, out of the trash so they can’t damage our environment.
- Reduce demand for minerals found in cell phones that are sometimes mined illegally and destructively in African rainforests.
- Raise money to support the conservation of great apes and their rainforest habitat in the Republic of Congo (read more).
What happens to the phones?
- Materials Processing Company (MPC; read more) collects the cell phones and transports them to their ISO:9001 secure facility in Mendota Heights, MN.
- All data is erased (read more) and phones are then separated for testing.
- Working phones are refurbished for resale or donation to charity.
- Non-working phones are sent for refining where valuable metals are recovered for reuse in new product.
- Proceeds are sent to the Minnesota Zoo for support of rainforest conservation efforts in Africa (see above).
Before donating your phone(s):
- Make sure you terminate your service or switch your contract to a new phone.
- Clear any personal data from the phone by removing the SIM card or manually the information. On most cell phones, you can find “Reset Phone” under “Phone Settings.”
- Turn your phone off, if your phone’s battery is still charged.
How to donate:
- Drop off your phone at the Minnesota Zoo. Bins are located at each Zoo entrance.
- Print out a label (click here) and mail your phone to MPC. The barcode on the label makes sure your donation gets credited to the Minnesota Zoo’s program.
