by Effie Moore Salem

Created on: November 28, 2007   Last Updated: June 29, 2008

Cell phones are a part of life and they are tiny but powerful little messenger systems that do great things for their users and at the same time have the potential for harm. They are small and take up little room and yet when someone is in trouble or an S.O.S. for help is needed, they are priceless little gems.

Yet, they are overused, abused and thrown around carelessly. They have become such a status symbol that to own the latest model is a necessity for the in crowd. If that terminology is not in the latest fashion dictionary, I apologize for that, I am not a member in good standing.

Their wrong use is in using them in the wrong places. Who wants to do their grocery shopping while having to maneuver their cart around someone talking on the cell phone and is oblivious to everyone around them. But worse than that is the danger of driving down busy highways while talking on them.

Aside from these dangers and annoyances they are handy and useful gadgets. They should stay in style longer, however. The rapid discard of these little dynamo's not only deplete pocket books and bank accounts, they dirty up the environment.

So, to be environmentally friendly, we are to donate them to charity. Supposedly these places recycles them for useful purposes. Aside from that their components, as with all other items of like nature, computers and such, the metals that are used are dangers to the environment. One or two would make no difference but add to that one or two million and you have a bigger problem. The toxic efforts of the disposal of these phones are a potential hazard.

Lead: (symbol Pb) used in soldering parts of the phone together is a real threat to the environment. It is a poison toxin and is particularly harmful to children. It once was in paints but since 1978 it has been banned.

Beryllium: (symbol Be) This element is possibly a component of cell phones and has something to do with the electrical connectors. It is a known carcinogen.

Arsenic: (symbol As) An extremely poisonous element. In cell phones it is used in the integrated circuitry.

Mercury: (symbol Hg) This is a heavy silver-white metallic element that everyone over the age of twenty is familiar with. It is the components of thermometers, at least the old fashioned kind. The kind you had to first shake down to use.

Mercury is liquid at room temperature and thus its use in measuring body heat. It is used also in barometers, lamps, dental fillings, and has many other uses. It is not used widely today in thermometers as it once was. In cell phones it is used in the circuit boards.

Antimony: (symbol Sb)This brittle metallic chemical is used in diodes and in batteries.

Cadmium: (Symbol Cd) This is a soft malleable bluish white chemical element that comes form copper and lead ores. It is used in electroplating, nuclear reactors, dental amalgams, pigments. In cell phones it is used in soldering and in chip resistors.

I hope the above has convinced all who have cell phones that are not needed to find a place to donate them rather than tossing them into the trash bins. And too, please be careful when using them while driving.

And turn them off in public places and when you talk on them, find a vacant spot in a corner somewhere. Why? To cut down on the noise and to stop the rest of us from being nosey and listening in to your conversations.

Source:
http://www.recyclingforcharitie s.com/Environmental-Effects-of-E-waste.php
http://www .goarticles.com/cgi?C=683196
http://aaafoundation.org /resources/index

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