Where Cell Phones Go to Die

When you throw away your old cell phone, do you know where it goes?  Probably not where you think it does.

A report by United Nations University shows electronic waste worldwide has increased nearly 20% over 5 years.  And most of that is small equipment like cell phones and electric toothbrushes.  Sinyee Tan is the Development Director at Lower East Side Ecology, a community-based recycling program.  She says one of the reasons why people are creating more e-waste is because they don't know how to fix their devices.  

"We try to encourage people to be able to repair things like their phone screens to increase the life-span of their device so they don't have to deposit it or replace it with a new one immediately," says Tan.

New York City residents can drop off their electronics at designated collection areas throughout the city.  Who knows - your old cell phone might end up in an Olympic medal.  Japan is collecting e-waste to make the medals for the 2020 Olympics.