Dec. 27, 2007

During this time of season when many residents get new cell phones, PDAs and Blackberrys for gifts, Westchester County wants to remind folks that old cell phones must be recycled -- they cannot go into the garbage.

Although each phone is small, they are really a bundle of highly toxic materials containing arsenic, nickel, zinc and lead. If disposed of in the garbage, these chemicals can turn into toxic substances from incineration.

The large number of cell phones used today and the quick replacement rate of phones pose a potential huge problem for the environment. Approximately 130 million cell phones, weighing 65,000 tons are retired annually in the United States alone.

Westchester County has 169 certified locations where residents can drop off old cell phones for recycling.  For further information including a list of the locations, call the Recycling HelpLine at (914) 813-5420.