IDEM urges consumers to recycle old smartphones

September 26, 2019

Earlier this week, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management took to its Twitter page to encourage Hoosiers to recycle their old smartphones through the Indiana E-Cycle program.

Indiana E-Cycle was established in 2009 to reduce the amount of electronic waste in Indiana landfills.

Because cell phones and other smart devices are made using heavy metals and hazardous substances like lead, mercury and arsenic, they can have a negative effect on the environment and the health of humans when disposed of improperly.

When placed in landfills, these substances can leech into groundwater systems and the soil, causing health issues such as brain and kidney damage, reproductive issues, cell deterioration and cancer.

Hoosiers looking to get rid of a video display device or smartphone safely can visit a waste disposal site that is registered with Indiana E-Cycle. There are nearly 100 registered collection sites and more than 30 registered recycling sites throughout Indiana.

In addition to encouraging recycling from consumers, Indiana E-Cycle ensures that the manufacturers of video display devices, including laptops, tablets, TVs and smartphones, play their part in keeping these electronics out of Indiana landfills.

Manufacturers are required to recycle the equivalent of at least 60% by weight of the devices they sell to Hoosier households each year by collecting them from places like schools and small businesses.

IDEM urges consumers to recycle old smartphones

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