PayMore Stores Helps Customers Make Better E-Waste Recycling Choices
August 3, 2022 Raleigh, NC
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, Americans throw away more than 416,000 cell phones a day (and that stat is from 2014!) U.S. residents purchase, on average, a new mobile phone every two years. That means every 24 months we’re faced with an important decision – what to do with our old cell phone. In addition to creating a major data privacy headache, throwing away an old phone is also a major headache to the planet.
The 416,000 mobile phones trashed in the U.S. every day add up to more than 150 million a year. The amount of e-waste created globally is on the rise too, up more than 4% every year, according to the global WEEE Forum. While there is a lot of information out there to help consumers make better purchasing and recycling decisions in our daily lives, the technology industry isn’t yet a major voice in that effort. That’s something PayMore Stores is changing! Many people already understand that throwing away a mobile phone is a bad choice for data privacy, but it’s important to understand the impact on the planet as well. If you’re looking for an alternative for getting rid of old phones – read on!
“At PayMore Stores, we take protecting the planet as seriously as we do protecting your data security” says President Erik Helgesen. “Each of our local stores is committed to reducing e-waste in their community while also continuing to implement additional green business practices” he adds. All device recycling at PayMore Stores is free to customers. When your device is traded in to PayMore Stores, the item is repurposed, helping keep the device out of your local landfill.
In addition to our commitment to reducing e-waste, the PayMore Stores team is committed to reducing paper and plastic waste as well. We provide our customers electronic receipts instead of paper ones, and stock electronic gift cards over plastic ones. Our stores only provide to-go bags by request, and we stock recycled paper, cardboard, and other materials. All of our company computers are selected based on their energy star rating and are set to sleep mode when not active to reduce our daily energy use.
According to the WEEE Forum, only 17% of electronics were recycled in the U.S. in 2019. These items accounted for more than 40% of the heavy metals in our landfills across the county. If you’re looking for a new mobile phone this year, or buying one for a friend or family member, remember that PayMore Stores makes it simple to recycle your old devices safely and securely. Our team members are experts in data privacy and have the tools and training to wipe your old mobile phones before recycling them, helping to ensure it doesn’t end up in your local landfill.
