Take Time To Donate Your Phone To Verizon Wireless’ Hopeline Program

National Cell Phone Recycling Week Gives Consumers Reasons to Help Their Community and the Environment.

LAS VEGAS, NV, and BASKING RIDGE, NJ — From CTIA WIRELESS 2009®, Verizon Wireless asks consumers to take time next week to give back to their communities and help improve the environment by donating old cell phones, batteries and accessories to the company’s HopeLine® program during the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Cell Phone Recycling Week – April 6-12, 2009.

The EPA reports that more than 100 million cell phones are discarded annually. If all these cell phones were recycled, it would save enough energy to power more than 18,500 U.S. homes for one year. HopeLine provides a convenient way to improve those statistics.

“Consumers demand more from their cell phones today than they did when we created HopeLine 14 years ago,” said Jack Plating, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Verizon Wireless. “Recognizing that having the latest technology means more old phones are left behind, Verizon Wireless makes it easy for consumers to recycle their phones during National Cell Phone Recycling Week – and throughout the year – in our stores or online through HopeLine.”

Verizon Wireless is teaming with the EPA, cell phone manufacturers and retailers to increase awareness about wireless phone recycling opportunities during National Cell Phone Recycling Week. In addition to the company’s ongoing recycling efforts through HopeLine, Verizon Wireless is also a member of the EPA’s Plug-In To eCycling program, which encourages Americans to recycle their cell phones and accessories.

“We recognize Verizon Wireless for all the work they have done related to cell phone recycling over the years and are glad to have them join our efforts during National Cell Phone Recycling Week,” said Matt Hale, EPA’s director of the Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery. “It is our hope that together we can make a difference and increase the number of cell phones that are recycled.”

Through HopeLine’s recycling efforts, more than 1 million no-longer-used wireless phones have been disposed of properly; more than 170,000 pounds of batteries have been recycled; and more than 200 tons of electronics waste and batteries have been kept out of landfills.

HopeLine, Verizon Wireless’ exclusive phone recycling and refurbishing program, collects no-longer-used wireless equipment from any wireless service provider at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores nationwide or by mail. Phones donated to HopeLine that can be refurbished are sold for reuse and those without value are recycled in an environmentally sound way under a zero-landfill policy. Proceeds from HopeLine are used to provide wireless phones and cash grants to local shelters and non-profit organizations that focus on domestic violence prevention and awareness.