Ring in the New Year: Recycle your old cell phones!

Hey Zoo Atlanta fans, Primate Team member Brittany here, and I hope everyone has had a very merry holiday season. That being said, I am sure many of you received new cell phones or other electronic devices and now you might be wondering what you should do with your old devices. Please consider recycling them!

Coltan is a mineral that is found in all small electronic devices. One of the few places in the world where coltan is mined is in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mining not only destroys critical gorilla habitat, but also as a result has led to gorillas being displaced or killed by poachers. Recycling old cell phones helps reduce the demand for coltan and protects gorilla habitat.

Here at the Zoo, we will accept your old cell phones and recycle them for you! Zoo Atlanta and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International work together with ECO-CELL (eco-cell.com) to recycle old cell phones, help the environment, save gorillas, and raise money for gorilla conservation. If you aren’t able to bring devices to Zoo Atlanta, visit ECO-CELL’s website to receive a pre-paid envelope to send them in yourself.

Check out more about our Gorillas on the Line program here.

Happy New Year!

Brittney L.
Keeper I, Primates