SAN DIEGO, April 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- While Americans are
well educated on the benefits of recycling bottles, cans and paper,
the same can't be said of electronic devices. The proliferation of
new cell phones and tablets has led to a growing glut of "e-waste"
piling up in people's homes, as well as a lack of understanding
about what to do with broken, unwanted or outdated devices.
According to a new survey released today by ecoATM,
(www.ecoatm.com), the nationwide network of automated electronics
recycling kiosks, 57 percent of American device owners have idle
cell phones in their homes, yet only 22 percent state they have
previously recycled cell phones they no longer use.
"Electronic waste is the fastest growing segment of our waste
stream, and it's a problem that's only getting worse as more and
more new phones and tablets are coming to market each year," said
Mark Bowles, founder and Chief
Marketing Officer of ecoATM. "Consumers are looking for easy and
convenient ways to recycle or sell their unwanted devices, and we
must continue to shift behavior when it comes to the responsible
disposal of electronics that are no longer being used."
Highlights of ecoATM's consumer survey include:
- Nearly four in ten device owners (39 percent) have at
least two cell phones, if not more, collecting dust at home,
yet less than half have sold, recycled or
given their old smartphones to someone else after using it (49
percent).
- Less than half of device owners would consider recycling old
gadgets (46 percent) even though most believe that recycling is
good for the environment (86 percent), safe (80 percent) and worth
doing (77 percent).
- When upgrading a device, 12 percent of device owners would
consider throwing their old gadget away in the garbage and
nearly one in three (30 percent) would just store it somewhere in
their homes.
- Just over half of device owners know that it's possible to
recycle unwanted devices in drop-off bins inside cell phone
provider stores (56 percent) or online trade-in programs (55
percent), while 20 percent know that automated recycling kiosks
exist. That said, more than one in 10 (12 percent) incorrectly
believe that placing old devices in any recycling bin (such as a
curbside bin) could be a viable option.
Recycle Responsibly with ecoATM
ecoATM's approximately 900 kiosks, which are located in shopping
malls and select retailers nationwide, recycle consumer electronics
– including mobile phones, tablets and MP3 players – to keep them
out of landfills or from languishing in desk drawers, and provide
instant cash payments as an incentive to recycle.
ecoATM kiosks accept devices of any era or condition, and uses a
worldwide auction system to offer consumers competitive prices
depending upon condition, which can include a few hundred dollars
for newer smartphones. Some very old phones may not be worth
anything, but with ecoATM consumers can rest assured knowing that
they will be responsibly recycled. ecoATM is able to find a second
life for 75 percent of devices collected. For the remaining 25
percent, ecoATM partners with certified e-waste reclamation
facilities to ensure those materials are responsibly reused and
recycled.
For additional survey findings or to request high-resolution
images or b-roll of ecoATM kiosks, please contact
ecoatm@edelman.com. To learn more about ecoATM or to find a kiosk,
visit www.ecoatm.com.
*Methodology Note: The ecoATM Device Survey was conducted by
Kelton Research between March
10th and March
17th and polled 1,018 nationally representative
Americans aged 18 and older who own a smartphone, cell phone, MP3
player or tablet.
About ecoATM
ecoATM, a subsidiary of Outerwall Inc. (Nasdaq: OUTR), is the
first company to create an automated self-serve kiosk system to buy
back old phones, tablets or MP3 players for cash. ecoATM uses
patented, advanced machine vision, electronic diagnostics, and
artificial intelligence to evaluate electronics. ecoATM's
eCycling stations provide a convenient trade-in solution with
features that validate sellers' identities and deter the sale of
stolen phones, and the company is known for its collaboration with
national, state, and local law-enforcement groups in combating
mobile phone theft through innovative use of technology and
education
(http://www.ecoatm.com/law-enforcement/).
ecoATM holds both Responsible Recycling (R2) and ISO14001
certification, confirming the company's commitment to maintaining
the highest standards of electronics recycling, as well as ISO27001
certification for information and personal data security. See
http://www.ecoatm.com/how-it-works/ for a video of how an ecoATM
kiosk works. For more information, visit www.ecoatm.com and for
more information about Outerwall Inc. please visit
www.outerwall.com.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140409/SF01500
SOURCE ecoATM