Corporate, Environment, Recycling, Global: Last year, manufacturers sold more than 800 million new cell phones. Analysts and vendors say 2006 will be a better year as new cell phone sales exceed 900 million. With all these new cell phones being sold, what happens to the old ones?

This is the question that environmentalists and analysts are asking as well as users. They worry that the people buying all these new phones could create environmental problems as people discard their old phones.

Old phones can cause environmental problems if they are simply discarded in landfills. Fortunately, there is a solution, according to James Mosieur, CEO of RMS Communications: “Old cell phones are certainly a potential environmental problem – they contain metals and other compounds that threaten the environment,” Mosieur believes.

Mosieur runs a company which pays anywhere from a few dollars to more than US$100 for old cell phones. It then re-markets them around the world. Phones that are not re-marketable for any reason are disposed of in an environmentally sound manner.

According to Mosieur his company recycles over 200 tons of electronic waste every year. While the company focuses on cell phones, they also recycle the batteries and chargers that often accompany cell phone shipments.

“Future cell phone sales do create a dilemma about what do with old discarded phones, especially since most people already have a few stockpiled…  But as more consumers learn about recycling solutions they’ll realise there is an immediate payoff for recycling; cash today and a healthy environment in the future.”

RMS operate through a number of web sites, including one which provides cash to non-profit organisations that collect and send in old cell phones in the US and an environmental initiative that helps companies, government agencies, other groups and individuals collect and recycle old cell phones.

Right now, most recycling takes place in developed countries and Developing Telecoms is not aware of any recycling initiatives in emerging markets. So, if you do know of any let us know, or if you are looking for a source of recycled handsets, get in touch with us.