New National Campaign Invites Ticos to Recycle Cell Phones and Their Components

The Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE), launched this week the campaign called “Dandö & Dandö el Planeta sale Ganando” (The planet wins when we all give), which seeks to promote the recycling of cell phones and their components. Incorrect handling of these wastes causes considerable damage to the environment.

ICE will receive waste telephones at its selected agencies and stores (Information at www.kölbi.cr). Each recycled device prevents the emission of one kilogram of carbon dioxide.

According to data from the United Nations (UN), in 2016 435,000 tons of cell phones were discarded worldwide, with an estimated value of $ 9.5 billion. Furthermore, 48.5 million tons of electronic waste were generated in 2018, a figure that is equivalent to 4,500 times the weight of the Eiffel Tower.

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From 2008 to date, the Reciclamóvil program has managed to correctly dispose of 17,100 kilos of cellular waste, which has been collected in the containers located in the ICE agencies and stores.

“Cell phones include materials that are potentially harmful to the environment, so they should not be disposed of as common household waste. With this new campaign, Kölbi wants to raise awareness among Costa Ricans about their proper treatment,” said Isaac Vargas, from the Telecommunications Products and Services Unit.

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Efficient Recycling

90% of the components of a cell phone can be reused after reaching its useful life. The materials that are most used are plastic and metal. For its part, batteries are used to recover construction supplies, laboratory equipment and new mobile devices.

The ICE agencies comply with all the sanitary measures established by the health authorities to face the COVID-19 Pandemic, among which the priority of care for the elderly and people with disabilities stands out; control of the flow of inputs and outputs; the application of 50% of the installed customer service capacity; the mandatory use of facial protection on clients and collaborators; the signage for the adequate distance and the corresponding hygiene measures.