EcoPhones continually strives to pay the highest overall payouts of any recycling fundraiser - up to $300 per phone / $5 per cartridge! Consequently, EcoPhones is the only program that pays for EVERY item regardless of whether or not the items(s) work and regardless of whether or not the item(s) are on our price list. That is, you earn cash for every item you collect broken items and items not on our list. Working and non-working items not included on our price list will be credited at competitive prices.

Lastly, EcoPhones and its employees are committed not only to the success of your recycling fundraiser but to the environment as well. All of us at EcoPhones are proud of the fact that through our efforts (and those of the more than 17,000 organizations like yours that participate in our program) more than 50 tons of electronic waste has been safely recycled.

The use of collection bins to assist your fundraising efforts can be very effective if done properly, professionally and inexpensively. Here are a few pointers to help you get started:

STEP #1:
We recommend purchasing $5 to $10 plastic 10-gallon non-clear bins (as shown here) from your neighborhood Wal-Mart, Target or similar retail store.

STEP #2:
Carefully cut a rectangular slot wide enough for a phone to be inserted but small enough to discourage people from reaching in and trying to remove phones. (as shown in photo above). NOTE: The rectangular shaped slot has been proven to reduce the amount of trash people attempt to place in the bin. That is, circle shaped holes remind people of garbage cans.

STEP #3:
Insert one of our FREE color mini-flyers into a protective clear plastic sleeve or laminate.

STEP #4:
Tape or glue (use glue on clear plastic sleeve only) the mini flyer to the top of the bin. Be careful not to cover the slot opening.

STEP #5: Optional
To reduce the chance of theft two small holes can be drilled through the plastic lid and into the bin base. Small zip ties or even a small travel padlock will ensure the bin remains closed at all times while on display.

Yes, asking for cell phone donations from your neighborhood cell phone retail store (e.g. Cingular, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile) is a great way to launch your fundraiser! (TIP: offer to include the cell phone store's company name/logo in the school newspaper or even on the customizable EcoPhones parent teacher flyer sent home to parents.

Older used cell phones that cannot be reused, and thus do not have any economic value, are recycled in accordance with state and federal EPA guidelines.

Depending on the material involved, EcoPhones works with a variety of recycling partners to recycle the material that cannot be reused. These partners meet stringent requirements with respect to the disposal of this material and provide us with Certificates of Destruction for the material we send to them.

Used cell phones that have an economic value are refurbished and reused in markets utilizing compatible wireless technologies such as North and South America. Reuse reduces the depletion of our Earth's finite resources. The proceeds from the resale of these used cell phones enables EcoPhones to continually expand its recycling efforts and provide less fortunate people a means of obtaining an inexpensive cellular phone.