Tesco mobile recycling?

I've noticed that Tesco have a scheme to encourage people to recycle old
mobile phones; they give you a kickback in the form of tesco points
and/or a charity donation etc.

In the blurb it says that if the phone works, it can be sent to a
developing country to be used again out there, which seems laudable; if
not, it gets trashed and the contents recycled. Accordingly they pay
you more depending on whether the phone works or not.

However, they specifically tell you *not* to send in the phone's
charger! So I'm wondering what on earth is the use of crateloads of
old, different types of mobile without the wherewithall to charge them
up? Am I missing something or are Tesco simply trashing the whole lot,
regardless of condition?

See:
<http://www.tescomobilerecycle.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4&Itemid=6#n8>

David

---

› See More: Tesco mobile recycling?

On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:07:52 UTC, Lobster
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
> I've noticed that Tesco have a scheme to encourage people to recycle old
> mobile phones; they give you a kickback in the form of tesco points
> and/or a charity donation etc.
>
> In the blurb it says that if the phone works, it can be sent to a
> developing country to be used again out there, which seems laudable; if
> not, it gets trashed and the contents recycled. Accordingly they pay
> you more depending on whether the phone works or not.
>
> However, they specifically tell you *not* to send in the phone's
> charger! So I'm wondering what on earth is the use of crateloads of
> old, different types of mobile without the wherewithall to charge them
> up? Am I missing something or are Tesco simply trashing the whole lot,
> regardless of condition?

Probably because different chargers are needed elsewhere, and there may
be a safety issue too.

Some charities will give you a plastic envelope for mobile recycling
(e.g. Macmillan Cancer Support):

http://www.recyclingappeal.com/macmillan

Or you get get direct money for some yourself:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/pho...bile-recycling

--
Bob Eager
begin 123 a new life...take up Extreme Ironing!

Bob Eager wrote:
> On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:07:52 UTC, Lobster
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I've noticed that Tesco have a scheme to encourage people to recycle old
>> mobile phones; they give you a kickback in the form of tesco points
>> and/or a charity donation etc.
>>
>> In the blurb it says that if the phone works, it can be sent to a
>> developing country to be used again out there, which seems laudable; if
>> not, it gets trashed and the contents recycled. Accordingly they pay
>> you more depending on whether the phone works or not.
>>
>> However, they specifically tell you *not* to send in the phone's
>> charger! So I'm wondering what on earth is the use of crateloads of
>> old, different types of mobile without the wherewithall to charge them
>> up? Am I missing something or are Tesco simply trashing the whole lot,
>> regardless of condition?
>
> Probably because different chargers are needed elsewhere, and there may
> be a safety issue too.

Wondered about that - although AFAIK much of Africa at least uses
UK-style plugs - and it begs the question, where on earth would a
suitable replacement chargers be obtained for each submitted phone?

David

Lobster wrote:
>
> I've noticed that Tesco have a scheme to encourage people to recycle old
> mobile phones; they give you a kickback in the form of tesco points
> and/or a charity donation etc.
>
> In the blurb it says that if the phone works, it can be sent to a
> developing country to be used again out there, which seems laudable; if
> not, it gets trashed and the contents recycled. Accordingly they pay
> you more depending on whether the phone works or not.
>
> However, they specifically tell you *not* to send in the phone's
> charger! So I'm wondering what on earth is the use of crateloads of
> old, different types of mobile without the wherewithall to charge them
> up? Am I missing something or are Tesco simply trashing the whole lot,
> regardless of condition?
>
> See:
> <http://www.tescomobilerecycle.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4&Itemid=6#n8>
>
>
> David

If you are going to do it and have a club card, pick up an envelope in
store, take the points option and "gift aid" the equivalent value to
charity - adding 25% to the value (now it 20% tax).

--
PeeGee

The reply address is a spam trap. All mail is reported as spam.
"Nothing should be able to load itself onto a computer without the
knowledge or consent of the computer user. Software should also be able
to be removed from a computer easily."
Peter Cullen, Microsoft Chief Privacy Strategist (Computing 18 Aug 05)

"Lobster" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I've noticed that Tesco have a scheme to encourage people to recycle old
> mobile phones; they give you a kickback in the form of tesco points and/or
> a charity donation etc.
>
> In the blurb it says that if the phone works, it can be sent to a
> developing country to be used again out there,

I would have thought having a mobile phone would be way down on the list
of essential items in a developing country. Surely food and water, maybe a
home would be at the top. I have often wondered how many phones, once
given to a limited company registered as a charity, end up on auction sites.
Which countries are the phones sent to and how can people even afford to
use them?

>which seems laudable; if not, it gets trashed and the contents recycled.
>Accordingly they pay you more depending on whether the phone works or not.
>
> However, they specifically tell you *not* to send in the phone's charger!
> So I'm wondering what on earth is the use of crateloads of old, different
> types of mobile without the wherewithall to charge them up? Am I missing
> something or are Tesco simply trashing the whole lot, regardless of
> condition?
>
> See:
> <http://www.tescomobilerecycle.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4&Itemid=6#n8>
>
> David

On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:07:52 GMT, Lobster
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>I've noticed that Tesco have a scheme to encourage people to recycle old
>mobile phones; they give you a kickback in the form of tesco points
>and/or a charity donation etc.
>
>In the blurb it says that if the phone works, it can be sent to a
>developing country to be used again out there, which seems laudable; if
>not, it gets trashed and the contents recycled. Accordingly they pay
>you more depending on whether the phone works or not.
>
>However, they specifically tell you *not* to send in the phone's
>charger! So I'm wondering what on earth is the use of crateloads of
>old, different types of mobile without the wherewithall to charge them
>up? Am I missing something or are Tesco simply trashing the whole lot,
>regardless of condition?
>
>See:
><http://www.tescomobilerecycle.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4&Itemid=6#n8>
>
>David

Because if they took the chargers they would end up with a pile of 3
pin chargers that can only be used in the UK, Eire, Gibraltar (I
think), possibly Malta and somewhere in the far east - not much use
sending them to the third world if they won't fit in their sockets.
--
Cheers

Peter

On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:20:47 +0100, "Rob" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>"Lobster" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>>
>> I've noticed that Tesco have a scheme to encourage people to recycle old
>> mobile phones; they give you a kickback in the form of tesco points and/or
>> a charity donation etc.
>>
>> In the blurb it says that if the phone works, it can be sent to a
>> developing country to be used again out there,
>
>I would have thought having a mobile phone would be way down on the list
>of essential items in a developing country. Surely food and water, maybe a
>home would be at the top. I have often wondered how many phones, once
>given to a limited company registered as a charity, end up on auction sites.
>Which countries are the phones sent to and how can people even afford to
>use them?

Apparently farmers in the third world make good use out of mobiles by
checking on the price of produce in the markets nearest to them
(according to a TV item I saw a few months ago) and as for
affordability - that will depend on the price charged for the calls. I
suspect that the phones will be used for voice and texts primarily -
not much WAP & 3G I suspect
--
Cheers

Peter

PeterT wrote:
> On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:07:52 GMT, Lobster
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I've noticed that Tesco have a scheme to encourage people to recycle old
>> mobile phones; they give you a kickback in the form of tesco points
>> and/or a charity donation etc.
>>
>> In the blurb it says that if the phone works, it can be sent to a
>> developing country to be used again out there, which seems laudable; if
>> not, it gets trashed and the contents recycled. Accordingly they pay
>> you more depending on whether the phone works or not.
>>
>> However, they specifically tell you *not* to send in the phone's
>> charger! So I'm wondering what on earth is the use of crateloads of
>> old, different types of mobile without the wherewithall to charge them
>> up? Am I missing something or are Tesco simply trashing the whole lot,
>> regardless of condition?
>>
>> See:
>> <http://www.tescomobilerecycle.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4&Itemid=6#n8>
>>

> Because if they took the chargers they would end up with a pile of 3
> pin chargers that can only be used in the UK, Eire, Gibraltar (I
> think), possibly Malta and somewhere in the far east

.... and Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Channel
Islands, China, Cyprus, Dominica, El Salvador, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong, Iraq, Ireland, Isle of Man,
Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Macau, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta,
Mauritius, Myanmar, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia,
St. Vincent, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Tanzania, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe...

David

> Or you get get direct money for some yourself:
> http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/pho...bile-recycling

My workplace advertised such a scheme recently "up to £150 for your
old phone"

A colleague got his Nokia 3210 (or similar) valued at just 23p - even
a brand new (at the time) Nokia N95 would only get you £110 of the
potential "maximum" £150 bounty.

"Lobster" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> PeterT wrote:
>> On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:07:52 GMT, Lobster
>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> I've noticed that Tesco have a scheme to encourage people to recycle old
>>> mobile phones; they give you a kickback in the form of tesco points
>>> and/or a charity donation etc.
>>>
>>> In the blurb it says that if the phone works, it can be sent to a
>>> developing country to be used again out there, which seems laudable; if
>>> not, it gets trashed and the contents recycled. Accordingly they pay
>>> you more depending on whether the phone works or not.
>>>
>>> However, they specifically tell you *not* to send in the phone's
>>> charger! So I'm wondering what on earth is the use of crateloads of
>>> old, different types of mobile without the wherewithall to charge them
>>> up? Am I missing something or are Tesco simply trashing the whole lot,
>>> regardless of condition?
>>>
>>> See:
>>> <http://www.tescomobilerecycle.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4&Itemid=6#n8>
>>>
>
>> Because if they took the chargers they would end up with a pile of 3
>> pin chargers that can only be used in the UK, Eire, Gibraltar (I
>> think), possibly Malta and somewhere in the far east
>
> ... and Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Channel
> Islands, China, Cyprus, Dominica, El Salvador, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar,
> Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong, Iraq, Ireland, Isle of Man, Jordan,
> Kuwait, Lebanon, Macau, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius,
> Myanmar, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent,
> Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Tanzania, Uganda,
> United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe...
>
> David
Many (most?) chargers are universal voltage, can't Tesco donate
their travel adaptors?
--
Graham

%Profound_observation%

PeterT <[email protected]> wrote:
> Because if they took the chargers they would end up with a pile of 3
> pin chargers that can only be used in the UK, Eire, Gibraltar (I
> think), possibly Malta and somewhere in the far east - not much use
> sending them to the third world if they won't fit in their sockets.

Also chargers weigh a lot, so it'd cost a fair bit to post them compared
with just buying a new charger of the right type. The cost of a charger is
about $1 in quantity so it's cheaper just to buy new.

Don't forget that if people aren't on mains electricity they may not have
their own charger. They could take their phone to the place in the village
with the generator, or go to a shop which will swap their flat battery for a
charged one. Or they could have solar, windup etc chargers. You don't need
a 1:1 relationship between phones and chargers.

Theo

"Rob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>

> I would have thought having a mobile phone would be way down on the list
> of essential items in a developing country. Surely food and water, maybe
> a
> home would be at the top.

Of course those things are at the top, but mobile telephony is transforming
the third world.

The reason? Most African countries have completely bypassed the copper
landline network and gone straight to mobile, which works far more reliably
in difficult terrain. Google Zimbabwe Text for information on how text
messaging is getting information to those stuck in Zimbabwe. The BBC's
digital planet has loads of info on how mobiles are transforming life in
poorer areas of the world.

And yes, there are people who offer to charge your mobile for you...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4716286.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programme...ne/4706437.stm

Tim

--
We got a thousand points of light | Greetings from Birmingham, UK
For the homeless man | All about me: www.nervouscyclist.org
We got a kinder, gentler, | Is your ISP pimping your data?
Machine gun hand Neil Young | www.badphorm.co.uk

Rob wrote:
> "Lobster" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> I've noticed that Tesco have a scheme to encourage people to recycle old
>> mobile phones; they give you a kickback in the form of tesco points and/or
>> a charity donation etc.
>>
>> In the blurb it says that if the phone works, it can be sent to a
>> developing country to be used again out there,
>
> I would have thought having a mobile phone would be way down on the list
> of essential items in a developing country. Surely food and water, maybe a
> home would be at the top. I have often wondered how many phones, once
> given to a limited company registered as a charity, end up on auction sites.
> Which countries are the phones sent to and how can people even afford to
> use them?

Take a look at M-Pesa (based on mobile phones) and how it can can really
make a difference to people (1.6m Kenyan people in 12 months). Not
everyone has a mobile, but they can each have a SIM and if necessary
share phone(s) within a village. Previously sending money (apart from
paying extortionate bank charges) was literally giving cash to someone
(eg. taxi or bus driver) to take to the distant village (with the
inherent risks of it 'disappearing', or the guy being mugged etc. Now
it can be sent directly to that person, with (compared to other systems)
low charges.

<http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2007/mar/20/kenya.mobilephones>
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/world/africa/6510165.stm>
<http://www.vodafone.com/start/media_relations/news/group_press_releases/2007/m-pesa_reaches_1_6.html>


Also <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6241603.stm>

""How big a change have cellphones made to Africa?" I shout the question
at Isis Nyong'o, over the throbbing bassline of a Kenyan ragga track.
She tells me calmly: "It's had about the same effect as a democratic
change of leadership.""