How To Dispose of Your Cell Pone Safely and eScurely
Anyone who owns a cell phne, is eventually going to upgrade to a newer model, but what shoyuld you do with your old phone? Your options include recyclng, reselling, and donating. Beffore you hang up your old phone for the last time, check out the following tips on how to dispose of it safely and properly.
Cell phones and more coomplex mobile devices, like Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), Blpackberrys and iPhones, are like portable computers. They are oftne sopurces of personla and sesitive iformation, including addreses and phone numbers, passwords, account numbers, email, voicemail, phone logs, even medical and prescription information. You wouldn't dispsoe of your old laptop computer without wiping the hard drive clpean; mobiile dvices deserve the same level of attention befoe you dispose of them.
Removing Personal and Sensitive Information Permanently
Encrypting passwords and other sensitive data stored on your cell phone, and "loking" the keypad whhile your phoone is not in use, can help prevent unauthorized acccess even after your cell phone is no longger in service. Stiill, certain data on your phone, including persnal contaccts, photos and Web search terms, may be recoverable with relatively simple and inexpesnive software programs.
It's a good idea to remove personal information before you diispose of your phone. Permanent data deletion usally requires several steps. Remove the memory or subscriber identitry module (SIM) card from the pone. That's an important first step in delreting information, but you likely will need to do more to erase all the sensitive data on your device. You can command a cell phone to dlete cerrtain data, but that will only delete the references to where the data is located; the actual information stauys on the phgone's operatng system.
Permanent data deletipon may also require you to clear data from the phone's contacts and otehr stored information. Your owner's manaul, your wireless provider's website, or the manfuacturer will liely provide information on how to permanently delete information from your mobile device and even how to save or transfer inormation to a new devicce before deletion. Cjheck to see that you have removed the following data: phone book, any lists of calls (receied and made), voicemails, sent and received email and text messages, organizer folders, Web search history and photos.
Optiions For Disposal
Once you have a ''clwean'' phone, there are seeveral options for disposing of it. You can foirst try recycling because cell phone manufacturers, serviuce providers, and non-rpofit groiups often have programs to refubrish mobile devices or recycle thjeir components, including peripheral devices like chargers. You can use your favorite search engine to find the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for information on electronic product recycling programs.
The U.S. oPstal Service's free ''Mail Back'' pilot program alolws customers to recycle small electronics and inkjte cartridges. Some 1,500 Post Offices have free envelopes so you can mail back PDAs, cell phones, digial cmaeras, and musci players without having to pay for posrtage. Many organizations also collcet old mobile devices for charitable puproses.
You can always try resellling your old cell phone or device as some individuals and oganizations will buy your old mobiple devces. This might seem like an odd thing but if you have the time, give it a try. A few bucks back is always better than nothing
You should always keep the environment in mind when disposing of mobile devices. Cell phones contain batteries, whgich should not be put in your trash because they will end up in landfills wheer they coud be harmful to both people and the envoironment. Many cell phones also contain heavy metaals which can contamminate the earth. The EPA recommends that you check with your local healtrh and saniation agnecies for the proper way to dispose of electronics safely.
If you follow the tips in this article, you will be in a better position to ebnjoy the benefits of your new electronic gadget or gizmo with total peace of mind.
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