If you’ve got a drawer dedicated to abandoned old tech, you’re not alone – the average British household has four unused phones lying around, and electronics account for up to 70% of landfill rubbish.
But now, it’s easier than ever to recycle your phone – and get some money for it.
Phone trading company Gazelle is launching kiosks around the UK which scan phones to test their condition, then offer owners an estimate of their value within eight minutes.
You’ll then be offered a price for the phone and, if you accept, that amount will be in your bank account or PayPal account within the hour.
Gazelle has diverted around 19 million phones from landfill over the past
decade in the US and, since its pilot scheme in the Midlands in November 2018, has recycled and reused over 600 phones.
The company has now launched 18 additional UK kiosks (on top of those launched for the pilot scheme), located in supermarkets and shopping centres, and expects to receive 20,000 phones in its first year of operation.
Most devices are sold for full reuse, but of course, if you’re hoarding some old-school Nokias they probably won’t be worth much.
If the kiosk deems the phone to have little-to-no value, you’re still able to recycle it via the machines for £1, at least knowing it’ll be recycled responsibly, rather than ending up in landfill.
The current Gazelle kiosk locations are:
London:
• Morrisons, 1 King St
• Morrisons, Chalk Farm Rd
• Morrisons, 10 Hertslet Rd
• Westfield London, Ariel Way (x2)
• Westfield Stratford City, Olympic Park (x2)
• Morrisons, 19 Aldermans Hill
• Morrisons, 6-7 Salisbury Hall Gardens
• Morrisons, James Watt Way, Erith
• Pentagon Shopping Centre, High Street, Chatham (Kent)
Midlands & others:
• Newlands Shopping Centre, Gold St, Kettering
• Morrisons, Redditch, Warwick Highway
• Chelmsley Wood Shopping Centre, 33 Maple Walk, Birmingham
• Morrisons, 264 Chester Rd, Birmingham
• Waterside Shopping Centre, High St, Lincoln
• Idlewells Shopping Centre, Sutton in Ashfield
• Morrisons, Rushton Ave, Bradford
• Newlands Shopping Centre, Gold St, Kettering
• Morrisons, Redditch, Warwick Highway
• Chelmsley Wood Shopping Centre, 33 Maple Walk, Birmingham
• Morrisons, 264 Chester Rd, Birmingham
• Waterside Shopping Centre, High St, Lincoln
• Idlewells Shopping Centre, Sutton in Ashfield
• Morrisons, Rushton Ave, Bradford.