O2 launches online recycling service
O2 today announced the launch of O2 Recycle, an online service to make it as easy as possible for people to responsibly recycle old handsets in return for cash. Operated by leading phone recycling specialist Redeem Plc, O2 Recycle is part of O2’s commitment to bringing products and services to market which motivate and help customers to be more sustainable.
With an estimated 90m handsets thought to be lying in drawers and cupboards across the UK, O2 Recycle will help to avoid unwanted handsets ending up in landfills by incentivising people to send them back for recycling. The service can be used by anyone in the UK, regardless of network, and in addition to mobile phones, will also recycle mp3 players, digital cameras, satellite navigation systems and other consumer electronic devices.
O2 Recycle launches today at http://www.o2recycle.co.uk/ and is easy to use. Customers simply visit the site and enter details of their mobile phone or device and receive an estimated value, which is subject to the device working. They then print off a receipt and a pre-paid postage bag is sent to them to put the phone and receipt in and send back. Alternatively, the bags will also be available in all O2 stores. Once the device has been received and is confirmed to be in good working order, the customer receives a text to say that the money will be transferred to their account. For every recycled device O2 will donate £1 to “Its Your Community” which is O2’s chosen charity. With “Its Your Community,” awards of between £100 and £1000 are available to local groups and individuals for anything that they can show will benefit their community.
All products received through the service will be collected and handled through Redeem’s Falkirk distribution centre before being processed and sold on to global markets. Additionally, all waste residues and non-workable products received will be sent for responsible materials recycling.
O2 is committed to reducing the carbon footprint of mobile phones and, in addition to this phone recycling initiative, pioneered SIM-only tariffs with O2 Simplicity to encourage customers to keep their handsets for longer.
Filed Under: O2
About the Author: Faysal Chowdhury, a Civil Engineer at day and an intelligent tech blogger at night. Stationed in Dhaka, Bangladesh he is has been with HotCellularPhone.com since the beginning, dated back to 2008. After receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in 2006, he started working as a Civil Engineer for Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) but his tech savvy mind always kept up with the mobile world and keeping everyone updated as well.
This is the best mobile recycling scheme out there! Pays straight into your account not a silly cheque, faster, friendly people and actually better prices than the price comparison sites tell you!!!
Have to say I was a bit sceptical, but decided to trade 3 phones that were lying in a drawer.
Two were listed, but could not find the third. I called their customer service number and spoke to someone called mark who said it was not on there as it was about 10 years old, but to sent anyway as they could dispose of it for me.
Posted phones back and got paid like it said on the website.
£70 paid into my account – will use again