If you have any phone device that you are no longer using, then this week is the ideal occasion to scrap it for a fee. U.S. telecom giant Verizon Wireless has asked Americans to allow it to recycle their old and disused phones or trade them for a small price.

As part of celebrating ‘National Cell Phone Recycling Week’, the carrier has set up boxes at hundreds of stores across the country asking wireless users to drop their old cell phones or tablet computers. The carrier has also promised to pay a small amount of money if your device is still in good shape. Users can choose gift cards in exchange for their cell phone which they think still has some value. They can cash out the gift cards later on at Verizon outlets. The carrier has, in the meantime, launched a website for enabling people to check the current trade value for their devices that they have mailed. Not just cell phones, people can send for recycling many verities of electronic goods including batteries, accessories, and tablet devices. The carrier has stated that the collected phones will be refurbished or recycled in an environmentally sound way. Verizon has long been running a program called HopeLine, which it uses to provide wireless phones and airtime to victims of domestic violence and cash grants to local shelters and nonprofit organizations that focus on domestic violence prevention, awareness and advocacy. Since 2001, HopeLine has collected more than 8 million phones, properly disposed of 1.7 million no-longer-used wireless phones and kept more than 210 tons of electronic waste and batteries out of landfills. “Supporting the community is a key initiative for Verizon Wireless,” said Elva Lima, executive director of community relations and multicultural communications at Verizon Wireless.  “We encourage customers to use our easy recycling options this week and throughout the year to give new life to their old devices and help the environment at the same time.” Source: TMCnet.com By Narayan Bhat