We get asked a lot, “How can I recycle old land line phones” ?
(Now, if you’re a business reading this, please note that this blog post relates to home users. If you have bulk phones for disposal, please get in touch. They may actually be worth something. But don’t plan to buy a yacht)
So, some of the FAQ
“Would we like to buy it?” No thanks! They are usually not worth anything. They can’t be refurbished profitably, or easily sold on eBay, although we do try and sell them in bulk if nearly new. The differential between a new and a refurbished used one is too small to justify refurbishment. Next question. Sorry.
“Of course, then can be shipped to developing countries for re-use“. Mobiles, yes, landlines, no. Simply, they are not worth handling and shipping. Sub-Saharan Africa seems to be able to take as many used mobiles as can be found. But it’s not the place to recycle old land line phones…
“The parts can be reused”. Sorry, “no” once again. They are mightily difficult to dismantle, an “electronic pomegranate”, all skin and no fruit, time-consuming and bitty. To recycle old land line phones component-by-component simply does not make sense.
“Can’t you sell them on eBay?” A decent new one is around fifteen pounds or less. It’s hardly worth bothering, unless you sell in bulk. Bulk buyers are usually businesses. And businesses tend to buy new. Some we don’t have the heart to throw away. And we do put them in our eBay shop. And they sit, and sit, and sit. Occasionally we’ll sell a batch of three barely-used ones. And that’s it.
“Charity shops can sell them”. I don’t see many. Some decline to take them in the same way that they reject any electrical goods.
“Charities take them for free to support their work”. Yes, mobiles, which are sold into developing countries. Not used land line phones.
So, some suggestions?
Folks who want to recycle old land line phones will find that their local authority’s recycling centre has a special area for electronic waste. You’ve already paid for their services via the council tax.
And us? Yes, we take these in bulk from businesses, charge them for the collection, handling, transport and disposal. We work closely with a major trade-only telecommunications recycler who strips them down to extract circuit boards, copper, and plastic. All compliant with Environment Agency guidelines and the WEEE Regulations 2013
If you are a business wanting to recycle old land line phones, please be in touch. We have a free document to send which gives vital guidelines on handing (see the photo above…), FAQs, plus our tariff. If the devices are specific to a business phone system, that is, not the plain analogue ones described above, there may even be the remote chance of some value to be reclaimed.
Sorry if this all sounds a little harsh. We’ve been in the industry since 1999, and have dealt with thousands of phones for some major organisations , so have hopefully learnt something. However, the good news is that more and more folks want to recycle old land line phones, rather than throw them away. And that’s great.
And if we can help, please get in touch.
Very good, clear, realistic advice. Thanks.
My daughter loves playing with phones. Therefore, I am looking for an old phone that nobody needs anymore and it is surprisingly hard to find. I would be most grateful if you could point me to somewhere where I can find an old unwanted phone that somebody is throwing out.
Well, we have a few here….. 🙂 Drop me a line via the contact page, please, with more details, and I’ll try and find something that will suit.
I run a company http://www.antiquetelephones.co.uk restoring old dial telephones for modern use. I hate waste and cannot stand the thought of them going to land fill. If you have any dial telephones please don’t bin them. I will try to use them for spare parts or restoration. I am happy to send pre paid labels so you can easily send it to me at no cost to yourself. It’s criminal to bin them but I will try to use any parts or complete telephones to enable me to keep restoring for perfect modern use. Please think about the planet and resources. Thank you in advance.
I have a bag of landlines.
I will gladly send them to you if you provide postage.
I don’t want to throw them away,
Hello,
Thanks for the offer, but we will decline on this occasion. The handling and processing of used landline phones is a net cost to us. Your local authority’s recycling centre may be able to help.
I have a set of3 BT landline phones which I have replaced, I could take them to the local recycling centre but if you could utilise them please send me a pre paid envelope & I will gladly send them to you.
Many thanks
Best to take them to the local recycling centre. You have already paid for their recycling via council tax.
Is there any stored digital personal data that should be erased prior to disposal? How can such data be removed?
Thanks for all the information.
There’s nothing on landline phones – the worst you could find would be speed-dial numbers held on the device(not on the central control unit). Removing any batteries will wipe them. Some phones have pin-hole reset buttons.
However, central control units equipped with voice mail may have messages saved on a HDD or elsewhere. Physical “disablement” of drives or chips will work.
In over 20 years of handling this equipment,this is the first time I’ve been asked this question!
i only have one old phone no cord,a very noisy clock can i just throw them out in the garbage.
Your municipal authority may have an electronic waste acceptance facility. I would suggest that you contact them. Rob.
We have 5 old landline business phones. They look exactly like the one on the right side of your photo. Any interest?
Hello,
Sadly, we are only accepting phones for recycling if shipped to us at the user’s expense. Rob
So realistically for corded landline phones, the Local Authority disposal site is the only option. BT should take back their old corded phones: the cheap ones are designed to last no more than a few years. Then they expect someone else to pay for disposal.
That’s correct. The telecommunications industry is very wasteful.
I work in a nursery.At present we are making sensory walls for both inside and in the garden and need old style phones for the children to play with.I was wondering if you would be happy to donate 3.look forward to hearing from you.
Tina Philpot Room Leader at Blossom Tree Montessori.
Thanks for the contact. I will reply via private email.
Thank you, Rob Govier, for all this very useful information. All my queries answered in this helpful string.
Thank-you!
Hi Rob,
We have 14 x Huawei eSpace desk phones to recycle. Are these are good to you.
Hello,
Sadly, the later generation of phones are now almost “disposable devices”.
I have a contact who might be interested, and will let you know if there is any good news.
Thanks for the contact.
Rob