Recycling for Charities recycles old technology into new funds for charity

ROYAL OAK, MI (September 7, 2005) - Recycling for Charities (RFC) announced today the launch of its organization, a non-profit business committed to protecting the environment by ensuring proper disposal of mobile phones, pagers, PDAs, Palm Pilots and other wireless products. In return for wireless recycling donations, RFC donates money to the local or national charity of the participant's choice.

Recycling for Charities provides individuals and corporations across the United States with the opportunity to donate old wireless phones and other mobile electronics as part of the larger effort to keep electronic waste out of our landfills. If e-waste is not recycled properly, it can cause great harm to the environment. Cellular phones and other small electronic devices contain toxins such as lead and mercury that can leak out of landfills and contaminate sources of drinking water.

"We are taking recycling to the next level by giving individuals the opportunity to invest in the environment and the community in one step," said Dwight Zahringer, president and founder of Recycling for Charities. He went on to say, "RFC provides a unique avenue for benevolence since donors get to choose where the recycling proceeds go."

The RFC website offers electronic items to be donated with proceeds going to support charities that have signed up with the organization. The site also presents non-profits the opportunity to sign up to do their own e-waste collection campaign to generate funds.

Since the year 2002, an average of over 200 million cell phones per year have gone out of service, despite having remaining economic value. By the end of this year, there will be approximately 550 million unused mobile and wireless phones stockpiled in the United States awaiting proper disposal. That number is expected to grow by upward of 175 million in each of the following years. Of all the phones that go out of service, less than 8% are recycled or refurbished.