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Don't toss that cell phone!
Everyone has an old cell phone in a closet or drawer. You can recycle your old cell phones, chargers, and cords and help save the endangered gorillas and elephants. An ore called Coltan is a source of tantalum, which is an essential coating for components in cell phones. The ore is often found in the Congo in the middle of gorilla and elephant habitats. The U.N. has reported that in the past five years, the eastern lowland gorilla population in the Congo has declined 90 percent.
When you drop off your cell phones and accessories, the Valley Zoo will direct these to ECO-Cell. This organization uses the equipment for re-use or recycle and returns a portion of the proceeds back to the Zoo. The proceeds will be directed to the Zoo’s conservation projects, and by re-using phones you are eliminating the need for increased mining in gorilla and elephant habitat. With an estimated 98 percent of all cell phones, PDAs and pagers heading to the landfill, proper recycling minimizes the amount of lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic being added to the ground water.
Drop off your old cell phones, chargers, and cords in the collection boxes at the Valley Zoo Saito Centre administration office. Remember to erase any information from the devices and ensure the phones are no longer active.
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