June 22, 2007
Cellphone recycling bins at Tokyo convenience stores
Pink Tentacle reports that NTT Docomo and am/pm Japan have announced plans to begin equipping convenience stores with cellphone recycling bins, making it easier for people to recycle their unwanted handsets.
"Since 1998, Japan’s wireless providers have been recycling unwanted phones in their own stores for customers who switch models or cancel their contracts. In recent years, however, more and more customers are waiting to recycle their old handsets, as phones have grown more sophisticated and hold greater amounts of important data that users need to access after switching models.
The recycling bins, which are designed to prevent people from stealing the cellphones inside, are open to unwanted handsets of all makes and models.
In 2005, NTT harvested 37,993 kg (42 tons) of copper and 145 kg (320 pounds) of gold from old phones.
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