Redeem Extends Cell Phone Recycling Program to Slovakia

Redeem Ltd, a cell phone recycling firm based in Falkirk, U.K., has extended its mobile phone resales and recycling initiative into Slovakia with a newly announced partnership program with O2 (Telefonica UK).

The recycling initiative, the first for Redeem in Slovakia, will come from the building of the company’s European platform on its existing partnership with O2.

Trevor Bayley, Redeem executive chairman, says, "Millions of phones are upgraded each year in Europe, but only around 10 percent are recycled. The recycling market is nascent in Slovakia and only around 12,000 mobile phones a year were being recycled before this initiative. We estimate that, in a population of 5.5 million, there are 6.5 million mobile devices when you allow for tablets, plus most people retain at least one old phone as a spare. We believe there is a huge opportunity for mobile operators to lead the way, meet their obligations under the WEEE (Waste Electical and Electronic Equipment) Directive—and boost their business. We aim to be in the global vanguard of that recycling drive."