In 1985, there were 500,000 cell phones in the United States. Today’s conservative estimate is that there are over 233 million cell phones in use in the U.S. alone.  Estimates are that 150 million are replaced each year. While Americans love their cell phones, they know little about them, such as the fact that they contain enough lead, copper and antimony to be classified as hazardous waste. The small size of cell phones makes them seem less harmful to the environment if thrown in the trash, but if cell phones end up in a landfill their toxic constituents can leach into the air, ground and water. The Secret Life of Cell Phones clearly delivers the message that cell phones must be recycled and not thrown in the trash.

The film interviews people on the street who are willing to recycle their cell phones but don’t know how.  The film makes the point that wireless provider stores could do more to encourage customers to return and recycle their old phones. The Secret Life of Cell Phones gives a brief overview of what happens when cell phones are returned for recycling. It also points out that many cell phones end up being shipped to Asia and Latin America for reuse or as waste. The video applauds the Basel Action Network’s (BAN) e-stewards program, awarded to companies that responsibly recycle electronics. BAN’s mission is to prevent the dumping of non working electronics in developing countries.

Running time: 00:4:50 mins