Recycle a mobile phone

[e-tosh]

Do these schemes really do what they say they do?
A friend has told me to give my old mobile to envirofone as they will recycle and pay me for it. Has anyone used envirofone or any of the others that appear to be advertising a lot at the minute?

[deedee24]

i've used both environfone and muzuma mobile, i can say that i got my money quick and hassle free, my sister has used envirofone in the past too and has had no problems, sometimes if the phone is really old they will just recycle it for you but luckly for me mime was quite up to date and sold for 40 odd quid, i wont sell on ebay cos there is that many scams around so thought id give these a shot and was pleased i did.

[deedee24]

forgot to add, muzuma mobile were quicker at paying then envirofone were. it took 7 days from start to finish for me to have my cheque.

[Andyvon]

So what criteria do they use deedee? I've contacted mazuma twice with old phones and on both occasions they replied "Regretably, we cannot offer you anything for your phone". I've heard a couple of other people say the same thing.

e-tosh asks whether these schemes work. What sort of phones do they pay money for and what does 'recycling' involve? Most of the West's old computers (e-waste) are sold by the container-load to Africa and India where entire families burn the circuit boards and recove lead and other metals for recycling to China. Is this what Mazuma do with the old phones or do they recondition them and put them back into service? What are the recycling companies paying people like yourself �40 for?