Ectel's Mobile Phone Take-Back Program

Every time you switch mobile phone companies you are given a new telephone. The European Union is looking at take-back programs for the millions of discarded phones. In its pilot program in Sweden, UK telecommunications company, Ectel, collected 35,000 phones in 1997, at a cost of about $1 per phone. Now the company is expanding the service into Britain, with plans for Spain and Italy. Cell phones will be returnable at some 400 UK collection outlets or by mail to increase collection rates from the present 5,000 a year. Ectel believes heading off legal mandates with a voluntary program will be more cost effective for the company. Switzerland’s program mandates a $3 surcharge on new phones to cover recycling.