Don't Throw Them Out!

It's hard to believe that someone would actually want that dinosaur of a cell phone that's taking up space in your junk drawer but there are a ton of ways to keep the hazardous materials in them from going to the landfill. Trust us. Don't throw that wireless phone away. They contain significant percentages of junk like lead, nickel, zinc, mercury, cadmium and beryllium. Oh yeah. They're gross.

Several groups recycle and reuse old cell phones. While all of them remove the cell phones from landfills, some are super awesome and use them to charitable ends.

Where to Go

This is where I'd go:

The Women's Crisis Center in Florence takes old cell phones and reuses them to help women who are at risk. Not only is this a local program, it's one that helps women AND?get this?the Crisis Center will also give you a $25 tax credit for your donation.

Women's Crisis Center
240 Main Street
Florence, KY 41042
Business phone: (859) 647-2388
Fax: (859) 372-3575
Crisis line: (859) 647-2388 (day) or (859) 491-3335 (night)

All of these locations in Boone County accept old cell phones and either reuse or recycle them:

Ameritech Cellular Center
7911 Mall Rd
Florence, KY 41042-1409

B&W Supply Inc
6702 Dixie Hwy
Florence, KY 41042-2108

Best Buy
100 Meijer Dr
Florence, KY 41042-4898
(Accepts rechargeable batteries only!)

Cincinnati Bell Wireless Florence Mall
2028 Mall Rd
Florence, KY 41042
859-372-5300

Home Depot - Department 25
99 Spiral Dr
Florence, KY 41042-4856

Lowe's
4800 Houston Rd
Florence, KY 41042

Office Depot, Inc.
6825 Burlington Pike
Florence, KY 41042-1616

Pete's PhotoWorld, Inc.
7836 Connector Dr
Florence, KY 41042-1435

RadioShack
1040 Hansel Dr
Florence, KY 41042-4867

RadioShack
2004 Florence Mall
Florence, KY 41042-1443

Sprint Suite 30
7622 Mall Road
Florence, KY 41042
859-283-9900

Staples
7659 Mall Rd
Florence, KY 41042 (Accepts rechargeable batteries only!)

Target
1100 Hansel Dr
Florence, KY 41042-4869

Verizon Wireless
7688 Mall Rd
Florence, KY 41042-1404

Check It Out

These are the programs involved in cell phone recycling and reuse:

The Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association is an organization that collects and recycles cell phones.  See their website at www.recyclewirelessphones.org.

The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation has its own program for recycling - see what they're up to at www.call2recycle.org.

Earth 911 tells it like it is.  See why cell recycling is important at http://www.earth911.org/master.asp?s=lib&a=electronics/cell_index.asp and learn about all of their programs at www.cleanup.org.

EcoPhones collects cell phones and even has a fundraising program for private groups.  Learn more at www.ecophones.org.

The Wireless Foundation is involved in several programs, including Sprint Project ConnectSM, a program that helps people with disabilities. See www.wirelessfoundation.org to get involved.

If you have any questions, please contact Mary Shinkle at (859) 334-3151 or at Mshinkle@boonecountyky.org