A recent poll by ABI Research conducted in October shines a light on one of the most important reason why people recycle electronics . Of the 1,000 people surveyed, 38 percent said they recycled an outdated mobile handset, and fewer than 5 percent of those recycled without receiving any kind of compensation. Furthermore, of the consumers who hadn’t yet recycled their used handsets, 98 percent would recycle at a store, charity, manufacturer or refurbishing company, but only “in return for some compensation ” such as cash, store credit or a tax deduction. According to the research, women are slightly more likely than men to recycle handsets and consumers under 40 years of age are slightly less likely to do so than those over 40. Interestingly, ABI conducted a study earlier this year and found that younger consumers showed a greater willingness to pursue “eco-groovy” mobile activities than older ones. “Green

issues were not even a talking point a couple years back. Now, subscribers of all age groups are expressing awareness of and interest in eco-friendly device and service incentives,” said ABI Senior Analyst Jeff Orr. “Many consumers in the U.S. are prepared to help the environment by recycling their old handsets, but only if there is a financial incentive to do so,” comments ABI Research Industry Analyst Michael Morgan. Companies are looking to improve their “green” image, especially when it comes to recycling. Sprint aims to eventually recycle 90 percent of its handsets, but, according to ABI, has only achieved a return rate of about 30 percent so far. Sprint recently came in at No. 15 on Newsweek’s environmental ranking of America’s 500 largest corporations. The company is expanding its initiatives and focus to reduce its carbon footprint.

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Is Recycling All About the Money?