Businesses - Recycle Cell Phones, Do The Right Thing, And Save A Few Bucks At The Same Time

During these tumultuous economic times, most businesses are concerned about their bottom line more than anything else. That is understandable since businesses are supposed to make a profit so they can do things like pay their employees, for instance. But life goes on, and an entity, whether it is a business or an individual, must forge ahead and continue doing the right thing.

One of the "right things" is recycling. No, this article is not about saving the planet or global warming. Instead, my aim is to help companies and organizations keep nasty stuff from getting into our air, water and food supplies. Regardless of which side of the environmentalist fence you sit, it simply makes sense to properly dispose of potentially hazardous waste.

What Kind Of "Waste" Are You Talking About?

Cell phones. Cell phone batteries. Two-way radios and their batteries. Small batteries of most any type. They could be used in video and still cameras, and PDAs. There is a lot of toxic material in the rechargeable batteries used to power those pieces of equipment. Some of the equipment itself has material that should be disposed of carefully. Nobody wants a good dose of arsenic, lead, cadmium, or beryllium in their breakfast cereal…do they? Definitely NOT the breakfast of champions.

Who Does This?

Lots of responsible companies will accept the aforementioned products. You may have to do some research to find one, but they are out there. One company that is on top of their game when it comes to recycling cell phones and related items is Integrity Communications. They accept the devices and batteries in working order or not.

Do They Make Any Money From All This?

No. Integrity Communications developed the Integrity Community Impact Foundation (ICIF) that allows companies to make charitable donations of used and unused equipment. The proceeds from recycling and refurbishing go to the following not-for-profit organizations.

Temporary Lodging for Children (TLC) http://www.kidstlc.org/
Christian Family Services http://www.cfserve.org/
Servant Christian Community Foundation http://www.servantchristian.com/
Integrity Resource Center http://www.integrityresource.org/

I suggest that you check out the listed organizations to see what kinds of services they are providing. Then pack up all your old cell phones and related equipment and donate them to a good cause. Integrity makes it easy to ship the items, too. Or, if you are in the area of their business in east central Kansas, you can simply carry it all through their front door and plop it down on the desk. I know these guys personally, too. Our family takes all our old cell phones and batteries to them. They will gladly take it off your hands, then offer a cup of coffee to you and ask you to sit with them and get to know each other. Great folks. Their website has all the details and contact information you will need to help out these wonderful groups while doing your part to recycle responsibly.

Is That All?

No. Depending upon your company, what you donate, and other circumstances, you can write off the donations for tax purposes. Like I said, we are in a rough economy, and every penny is important. What better way to take care of our world? You will be saving a few bucks for your company and taking care of what is undeniably the best planet in the Solar System.

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Andy Barber is currently working for Integrity Communications, a business specializing in Telecom Expense Management. He lives in eastern Kansas. A retired police dispatcher, he now resides in the country with his wife and 2 of his 3 sons. He is a freelance writer who has created articles on subjects such as police work, scanners and 2-way radios, motorcycles and motorcycle painting, promotional advertising products and marketing. Click here to see some of the offerings from Integrity Communications.