The constant upgrade of cellphones also creates a stream of obsolete ones needing disposal. This creates a hazard if not done correctly.
As a story in USA Today warns, the lithium-ion batteries that power these devices can cause a fire if thrown in the trash, or even if put amid waste paper headed to a recycling center. The cellphones may seem dead, but their batteries have enough juice left to set off sparks if they come in contact with metal, such as the sides of a garbage truck.
The best thing to do with old cellphones is to take them to a store that accepts them — such as the place where you bought your new one. The Greenwood-Leflore Recycling Center also accepts old electronic devices, but take them to its Commerce Street location. Don’t drop them in your curbside bins or the metal collection containers around town.
