Simply Drop - money for old phones

Simply Drop is a new scheme from Royal Mail to encourage Londoners to recycle unwanted mobile phones, MP3 players and digital cameras.

Simply Drop, a Royal Mail initiative in partnership with Recycle for London, allows consumers to recycle their unwanted gadgets in exchange for cash or a charity donation to one of five charities, including Barnardo’s, Royal Mail’s chosen charity.

It is estimated that mobile users replace their phone every 18 months, leaving up to 90 million mobile phones unused in the UK. If discarded to landfill, a phone takes more than 1,000 years to break down and can leak poisonous chemicals into the earth.

To recycle an item with the new Simply Drop scheme, consumers need to visit www.simplydrop.co.uk, select the make and model of their phone, camera or MP3 player from a drop-down menu, and a value will be given. A prepaid, degradable bag will be then be issued to the individual for safe postage of their item. Bags can also be dropped off at any London Post Office branch.

Alternatively, Londoners can look out for one of the 3.1 million Simply Drop bags being delivered to households in the capital.

Matthew Neilson, Simply Drop, Royal Mail comments:
'Simply Drop is an initiative of massive importance to us and we are thrilled to have the backing of Recycle for London. We anticipate that this will be a great fundraising stream for Barnardo’s and all the charities involved. If successful in London we hope to roll Simply Drop out nationally.'