There are an estimated 243 million cell phone users in the United States.  That number is dwarfed only by the estimated number of unused cell phones lurking in junk drawers and closets – 500 million.  And the number of obsolete and unused cell phones is growing by an estimated 100 million each year.

So, why should your readers be encouraged to ferret out those unused cell phones and recycle them?  We can think of two good reasons.  Certainly, recycling unused, obsolete or broken cell phones keeps hazardous waste out of our landfills, but it also helps animals in the wild.
Columbite-tantalite, or Coltan for short, is a dull metallic ore found in major quantities in the eastern areas of the African Congo. It is used in cell phones, laptops, pagers and other electronic devices. When refined, coltan becomes metallic tantalum, a heat resistant powder that can hold a high electrical charge.  Some types of Coltan mining may occur illegally in protected lands all across the Congo which in turn put wildlife such as Elephants and Gorillas of the Congo region at risk.

The Houston Zoo and 46 other zoos and aquariums across the country are in partnership with Eco-Cell, a cell phone-recycling firm based in Louisville, Kentucky.  

The Houston Zoo has a recycling bin in our gift shop for collection of unwanted cell phones, batteries, and chargers.  Zoo guests may also mail them in (see address below). 

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