PITTSBURGH, April 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless is encouraging Pennsylvanians to celebrate Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, by recycling no- longer-used wireless handsets. Recycling these handsets will protect the earth's resources and, at the same time, support domestic violence organizations.
Pennsylvanians can drop off no-longer-used wireless handsets and equipment, in any condition, at all Verizon Wireless Communications Stores across the state, where donations are accepted year-round.
Over the past 15 months, Pennsylvanians have donated, on average, more than 2,500 phones each month to Verizon Wireless' award-winning HopeLine(R) program. Through this program, the company collects wireless handsets and accessories from any wireless service provider. Most of the handsets and equipment are refurbished and sold, and proceeds are used to purchase newer wireless handsets for domestic violence survivors and to support domestic violence shelters and organizations. Any remaining handsets are recycled in an environmentally safe way.
"We are proud to give consumers an easy way to recycle their no-longer- used wireless handsets this Earth Day," said Roger Tang, president - Ohio/Pennsylvania Region, Verizon Wireless. "Preserving the earth's resources is an important initiative that we can all participate in as individuals. Rather than throwing away wireless handsets or letting them collect dust, consumers can donate them to HopeLine and help protect the environment."
Since the HopeLine phone recycling efforts began in 2001, consumers across the United States have donated nearly three million handsets to HopeLine, and more than 600,000 phones have been recycled.
In addition to wireless handsets, Verizon Wireless also collects spent, rechargeable batteries for recycling. The Verizon Wireless Cell Phone Battery Recycling program is an easy way for customers to join with the company to help conserve the earth's natural resources and prevent spent batteries from entering landfills. In 2005 alone, nearly 150,000 pounds of batteries were recycled through this program-almost double the amount recycled in 2004.
For more information on Verizon Wireless' HopeLine program or for instructions on donating wireless handsets or rechargeable batteries, visit http://www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 51.3 million voice and data customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, N.J., Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone . Find more information on the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com/. To receive broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
