Program Unites Motorola, Nokia, Verizon Wireless, CTIA - The Wireless Association, CollectiveGood Foundation, March of Dimes, The Wireless Foundation and ReCellular to Collectively Address Wireless e-Waste
NEW ORLEANS (CTIA Wireless) March 14, 2005 -- eBay, the World's Online Marketplace®, today announced a significant expansion of the company's Rethink Initiative to include leading companies and organizations involved in wireless telecommunications.
This expansion marks one of the largest programs uniting wireless industry leaders in a collective effort to provide environmentally sound solutions to "e-waste," unused and obsolete cell phones and other electronics.
Among the fifty-six percent of American households that harbor unused working electronics, twenty-five percent currently have a working cell phone that is out of use, an ACNielsen International Research survey commissioned by eBay and the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition revealed. The average cell phone is replaced approximately every eighteen months.
CTIA - The Wireless Association™, the principal wireless industry trade organization, and its charitable arm, The Wireless Foundation, are both now Rethink members. Other new members include CollectiveGood Foundation, a mobile devices recycling resource, March of Dimes, Motorola, Nokia and Verizon Wireless' HopeLine(sm) program.
ReCellular, a cell phone collector, reseller and recycler, is Rethink's wireless tool provider and has debuted its new "Cell Phone Data Eraser," a free service that lets people permanently delete personal data from cell phones before selling or donating them, on the Rethink hub site, www.ebay.com/rethink.
eBay launched the Rethink Initiative earlier this year to bring together technology companies, government agencies, environmental groups and millions of eBay users to promote environmentally sound practices. At the launch, member groups included those primarily involved in the PC industry, including Rethink's lead ally Intel Corporation.
"Wireless devices, including cell phones, are one of the most commonly replaced and upgraded consumer electronics products, but individuals and businesses are often at a loss when it comes to getting rid of such items in environmentally sound ways," said Cathy Siciliano, director of eBay's Cell Phones & Portable Electronics categories. "Through Rethink, we want consumers to know that the industry has created a wealth of methods for them to dispose of those items responsibly, including finding new users for such goods by selling on eBay or donating to charity."
Wireless Rethink members have their reuse and/or recycling programs showcased in a "Member Solutions" section of the Rethink site. Site visitors can access other information about donating their used cell phones and other consumer electronics to charity or recycling them.
In addition, the Rethink site now houses eBay's "Cell Phone Selling Zone," a single online destination providing tools and information that make selling mobile devices on eBay easier. The Zone includes a guide providing approximate values of specific cell phone makes and models, instructions on posting such goods for sale on eBay, and advanced solutions to simplify shipping. Additionally, the Zone links individuals and businesses to third parties who will sell their cell phones on eBay for them.
"As a part of the wireless industry's ongoing effort to stamp out e-waste, CTIA is pleased to partner with eBay's Re-think program," said Steve Largent, President and CEO of CTIA. "Together we can increase consumer awareness of how to protect the environment by recycling their wireless products."
Companies, environmental groups and charitable organizations involved in the wireless industry that meet the Rethink Initiative criteria for participation (available on the site) may join the Rethink Initiative at no cost. Member groups list their reuse and recycling solutions on the Rethink site, and can link back to Rethink from their own websites as well.
About Rethink
The Rethink Initiative, launched in January 2005, brings together technology companies, government agencies, environmental groups and millions of eBay users to address the e-waste problem. Members of the Rethink Initiative now include Apple, Basel Action Network, CollectiveGood Foundation, CTIA-The Wireless Foundation, Dell, Earth 911, EPA, Gateway, HP, International Association of Electronics Recyclers, IBM, Ingram Micro, March of Dimes, Motorola, National Cristina Foundation, Nokia, Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, The Wireless Foundation, UPS, USPS, and Verizon Wireless.
About eBay
eBay is The World's Online Marketplace®. Founded in 1995, eBay created a powerful platform for the sale of goods and services by a passionate community of individuals and businesses. On any given day, there are millions of items across thousands of categories for sale on eBay. eBay enables trade on a local, national and international basis with customized sites in markets around the world. Through an array of services, such as its payment solution provider PayPal, eBay is enabling global e-commerce for an ever-growing online community.