This Earth Day, April 22, 2005, EarthWorks is launching the "Recycle My Cell Phone Campaign." The Campaign's goal is to collect 1 million cell phones in one year. All phones collected through CollectiveGood's recycling programs will count toward the 1 million phone goal beginning with the launch on Earth Day.

The Campaign's purpose is not only to raise awareness about the toxins in cell phones, pagers and PDAs but to divert these toxins from our landfills while reducing the need for open-pit mining which produces the gold, copper and other materials used in cell phone manufacturing. Because cell phones contain lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic they are to be classified as hazardous waste by the EPA.

The Sumitomo Corporation of Japan, a world-wide trading company, estimated that:

- From 1 ton of old cell phones 230 grams of gold can be recovered
- Yet 1 ton of mining waste only generates 62 grams of gold

If the estimated 130 million cell phones discarded each year in the US were recycled, the phones would yield about 202,000 ounces of gold, keeping approximately 65,000 tons of toxic waste from landfills and incinerators.

EarthWorks, based in Washington, DC, is dedicated to protecting communities and the environment from the destructive impacts of mineral development around the world. The Recycle My Cell Phone Campaign is an innovative program to promote cell phone recycling and educate about the issues related to mining and toxic materials.

EarthWorks is inviting all of CollectiveGood's non-profit partners to learn more about the Campaign and to partner with them to promote the program. EarthWorks will provide press releases or educational materials. If your organization would like to be an active partner in the Recycle My Cell Phone Campaign, contact Kimberlee Dinn with EarthWorks at 202.887.1872 ext. 205 or e-mail her at kdinn@earthworksaction.org You can also visit their website www.earthworksaction.org .

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