Giving mobile phones another life

After his first meeting with recycling company Green Collect, Aid Rawlins drove to his Mulgrave office with more than 800 mobile phones in the boot. Aid is the Managing Director of Australia’s first online mobile phone recycling company, Mazuma Mobile, that offers cash back to businesses and individuals through www.mazumamobile.com.au.

Mazuma is working with Green Collect, a not-for-profit environmental organisation that collects items from all over Melbourne to re-use and recycle to reduce waste. Collection can be virtually anything from printer cartridges, office equipment or computers. As a social enterprise, Green Collect (www.greencollect.org) also offers work and training opportunities to people who have experienced barriers to employment.

“We are working with Green Collect to rehome the mobile phones that have significant potential for re-use,” Rawlins said. “The majority of phones collected at our first meeting will be rehomed in Africa, India and China, which extends the life of the phone considerably and provides a vital communication tool to people that would otherwise not be able to afford it.”

After the first visit to Green Collect, Mazuma was able to hand over $2275 and ensure the handsets are given a new life.

Darren Andrews, co-founder and Chief Executive of Green Collect, said it is extremely important to Green Collect that its commitment to environmental and social best practice is expressed in everything it is involved in.

“We have declined offers from organisations in the past due to a lack of transparency in the offer, for example, where the phones end up. We appreciate Mazuma’s transparency. We do not want to see Australia’s e-waste shipped overseas to become someone else’s problem.”

David Waterworth, Logistics and Resources Manager of Green Collect, said: “Green Collect delivers a range of innovative environmental services and I am delighted to be working with Mazuma to ensure the best outcome of discarded mobile phones,” Waterworth said. “We are also proud to work with a wide range of government and private enterprise to minimise waste and promote re-use and recycling.”