Online auction giant eBay continued its efforts to
reduce the impact of e-waste on the environment today. The company announced that it has expanded its Rethink Initiative to include leading companies and organizations involved in the wireless telecommunications industry.
Launched earlier this year, the initiative, which links technology
companies with government agencies, environmental groups and eBay users to
promote environmentally sound recycling practices for technology products,
will now add wireless industry leaders to the mix.
“Consumers, we’ve learned, are confused about what to do with old cell
phones,” Cathy Siciliano, director of cell phones and portable electronics at eBay, said. “The Rethink Initiative is to educate consumers about their options and help them to take action.”
At the center of the campaign to promote the re-use and recycling of
technology products, is a Web site geared toward providing information to
consumers and businesses about product disposal options, including recycling
and refurbishing.
“Wireless devices, including cell phones, are one of the most commonly
replaced and upgraded consumer electronics products, but individuals and
businesses are often at a loss when it comes to getting rid of such items in
environmentally sound ways,” Siciliano said.
Siciliano said a thriving secondary market on eBay for cell phones and
the availability of SIM cards makes it easy for people to trade up to
different phones.
“There’s a lot of activity on the site; over 4,000 cell phones are sold
every day,” she added.
A recent study conducted by ACNielsen International Research showed that
56 percent of American households have unused working electronics, and 25
percent of those have a working cell phone that is not used. The average
cell phone is replaced approximately every 18 months, according to the
study.
The program will allow Wireless “Rethink” members to have their reused
recycling programs placed in a “Member Solutions” section of the Rethink
site, according to the company. Visitors can also access information on the
site about donating their used cell phones and other consumer electronics to
charity or recycling them.
The Web site also includes eBay’s “Cell Phone Selling Zone,” which provides
tools and information about selling mobile devices on eBay. It includes a
guide providing approximate values of specific cell phone makes and models
and advanced solutions to simplify shipping, according to the company.
