By recycling cell phones, YOU can help animals like gorillas, chimpanzees, and okapis by reducing the demand for new materials to be mined. Suffield High School’s Interact Club is sponsoring an electronic handheld collection event throughout Suffield. Starting June 16th, locked bins will be placed in the Town Hall, Kent Memorial Library and the Senior Center to collect your old cell phones, Smartphones, iPods or other MP3 players, iPads or other tablets and handheld gaming devices.
Cell phones and their accessories contain a large number of hazardous substances and toxic materials. These toxins include arsenic, beryllium, cadmium and lead. When thrown away, these electronics make their way to landfills where these contaminants can leach into the ground and waterways contaminating natural resources and polluting wildlife habitat.
Cell phones and other handheld electronic devices contain a material called tantalum that is derived from the mineral Col-Tan (columbite-tantalite). Coltan is destructively mined in central Africa, which happens to be where animals like chimpanzees, gorillas, mandrills and okapi live.
Clean out those old devices from your home and help preserve our planet!
Interact Club is sponsored by the Suffield Rotary Club and is a recognized student organization affiliated with Rotary International.