They're Calling On You

We can all help support primate conservation in Africa with the simple act of recycling old mobile phones.

Mobile phone and other electronic devices contain Coltan, a space-age metal that has allowed devices to become even smaller.

About 80% of the world’s ‘Coltan’ reserves are located in the Democratic Republic of Congo - home to gorillas, chimpanzees and other precious primates.

Uncontrolled ‘Coltan’ mining results in tens of thousands of miners moving into an area. In addition to destroying habitat through the mining process, miners hunt animals for food. The bushmeat trade flourishes, as does illegal trade in orphaned apes and other animals as pets.

Replacing mobile phones every year and constantly upgrading electronic devices, all increases the demand for ‘Coltan’.

Around the world, more than 800 million people use mobile phones and that figure is growing daily.

In the last 12 months, more than 9 million mobile phones were sold in Australia alone.  It is estimated there there are more mobile phones in Australia than there are people.

Australian's typically upgrade their mobile phone every 18-24 months which means millions of mobile phones end up dumped into landfill every year.

How many more are sitting in drawers in Australian households?

Recycling mobile phones and electronic equipment can help save gorillas and chimpanzees. As part of a joint initiative of ARAZPA and the Jane Goodall Institute, Conservation Ark is embracing the ‘They’re Calling on You’ mobile phone recycling project. You can download a poster (see link below) to help raise awarness for this campaign.

As a visitor:  Download a postage paid label below and your old mobile phones will be sent to Aussie Recycling Program.  There the Coltan-coated capacitors will be given a ‘second life’, thereby lessening demand for Coltan.

As a business: Encourage your workplace to recycle old phones.  Aussie Recycling Program offer a free courier pickup for 16 phones or more. Download the shipping label and instructions for arranging courier pickup below.

And remember, whenever you hear you mobile ringing, it's a reminder that "They're Calling on You".

Use the form below to register to:

• Act as a drop off point for the phones of friends, family, classmates, workmates, etc
• Allow your premises to be a satchel pick up point.

There are several places acting as drop-off points so that mobile phones can be collected and sent off together by courier. These places include:

Adelaide Zoo

Monarto Zoo

Payneham Library, 2 Turner Street, Felixstow

St Peters Library, 101 Payneham Road, St Peters

Norwood Library, 110 The Parade, Norwood

Balaklava Electronics, 28 George Street, Balaklava

Between March and May 2010, Conservation Ark supporters and visitors to the two zoos sent more than 700 mobile phones back to be recycled. This raised more than $1400 for the Jane Goodall Institute!

Since the campaign started, we have collected more than 1500 phones and raised $3000 for the Jane Goodall Institute.

Well done everybody!

We want more old mobile phones sent in for recycling. If you would like to send in a mobile phone, use the links above to download reply paid labels to get free postage.

Encourage your workplace, school or local community group to collect old mobile phones for recycling. Remember you can get a free courier pickup if you collect more than 16 phones.

Thanks for the support everybody and remember: "THEY"RE CALLING ON YOU!"