What Should You Do With Old Flip Cell Phones?
Even among “retro” technology enthusiasts, it’s safe to say that owning a flip phone has fallen out of fashion. If you still have an old flip phone in a drawer somewhere, it’s probably not even supported, meaning you couldn’t use it to make a call even if you wanted to.
And, many people don’t realize that some substances in older electronics contain harmful chemicals, and prolonged exposure to them could impact the health of everyone in a community, especially if they end up in the local water supply.
Rather than allow it to sit in a landfill somewhere and contribute to the ongoing E-waste problem, you have three options available to you: donate, sell, or recycle, all of which are opportunities that are remarkably better than just throwing the phone away.
Donating
Most communities have donation programs, such as Ann Arbor’s A2 Area Reuse Network, for old flip phones and smartphones. These donation programs help support local manufacturing efforts by providing raw materials from phones and can also assist individuals who don’t have the means to purchase new phones.
If you can’t find an organization dedicated to serving your community, you can also try national organizations like AAA and Cell Phones for Soldiers.
Selling
Depending on the current condition of your flip phone, you could also try selling it on a site like eBay. Even if you can’t find a collector, someone may want to purchase it simply for the value of the raw materials.
To see if your flip phone might be valuable, first locate the original model number (this should be printed somewhere on the device itself). Then, go to eBay, type in the model number, and view the “Recently Sold” listings for that device. As opposed to seeing the (sometimes) unrealistic prices that items are listed for, you’ll see what people are actually paying for them. At the very least, you’ll get a sense of what the fair market value truly is. You might also discover that your older flip phone is a collector’s item, and you just didn’t realize it.
The only major downside is that you’ll have to put research into where to sell the phone if you’re not specifically doing so on eBay because not all marketplaces are created equally. You will also likely not get much money for your flip phone, although it’s still certainly better than just throwing it away.
Recycling
Finally, you can recycle your older flip phones to make sure they don’t end up in a landfill. Batteries, plastic cases, and even SIM cards can all be recycled.
As with all cell phones, you’ll want to perform a full factory reset. You should remove your old SIM and SD cards (unless you’re just recycling those items) and physically clean your device.
Where to Donate & Recycle Old Flip Phones
If you’re searching for a place to donate and recycle your old flip phone in or around the Detroit, MI, area in particular, High Tech Recycling is here to help. We offer comprehensive recycling services, including convenient pickups, not just for old phones but for other electronics, like televisions, computers, printers, and office phones.
You can drop off donated items at our main office at 26 W. Ypsilanti Ave. in Pontiac between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, or click here to request a pickup. For pickups, please make sure you leave your items in one central area.
