When it comes to cell phones, consumers just don't act green, says the , which is working with wireless providers and handset makers to improve the situation. From the EPA site:
"EPA has targeted cell phone recycling because only 10 percent of cell phones are recycled each year and most people do not know where to recycle them."
The agency is currently conducting a year-long campaign, Plug-In To eCycling, with major players in the wireless industry, including AT&T, Best Buy, LG Electronics, Motorola, Nokia, Office Depot, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Sprint, Staples, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless. The partners have pledged to educate consumers on how and where to recycle phones, and to work with communities to hold phone-collection events.
Are consumers unsure of how to recycle their old handsets, or is it simply easier not to? After all, cell phones are tiny. After buying a new phone, it's all too easy to stash the old device in a desk drawer and forget about it.