According to California State Assembly member Fran Pavley (D), California residents throw away more than 44,000 hazardous old cell phones every day. What most users may not know is that these phones contain precious metals such as gold and silver. EcoPhones, an American school-based cell phone recycler, plans to help Californians cash in on this new cellular Gold Rush by offering residents and businesses up to US$100 for each old mobile phone.

Since 2001, EcoPhones' mobile phone take-back program has helped more than 600 California schools, churches, charities and community organizations raise funds. Throughout the U.S., EcoPhones has recycled more than 50 tons of hazardous cellular waste.