UK gets mobile recycling scheme

NEWS A major recycling scheme for mobile phones has been launched by the UK's four network operators and the world's top handset manufacturers. Called Take Back, the scheme addresses what happens when phones become obsolete or damaged. Experts have estimated that until now, up to two million handsets have ended up in landfills. Launching the scheme, Dr Kim Howells MP, Under Secretary of State for Competition and Consumer Affairs, said: "No matter how new a product, we have to think constantly about recycling. We will be able to go to Europe and speak [on this subject] from a position of strength and knowledge." Essex-based Shields Environmental will handle the recycling process. The company's head of business development, Dr Alan Marples, said: "It's not just about avoiding pollution. Phones potentially have a number of recyclable parts, depending on the model." Motorola's Bill McCartney, chairman of the European Telecommunications and Professional Electronic Industries Association Environment Speciality Group, said it was important to involve network operators in addition to the equipment makers, "to make it an industry solution", and because of their high-street presence. He denied the companies involved are seeking positive publicity in light of health scares surrounding the use of mobile phones. The 10 companies supporting Take Back are Alcatel, BT Cellnet, Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia, Orange, One 2 One, Panasonic, Philips and Vodafone. Others, such as Siemens, are likely to sign up later. Users can find their nearest recycling point from http://www.ectel.org/mobile/takeback.htm