Hold the phones

CASEY residents can now help save Australia’s precious resources by recycling their old mobile phones.
The city has joined the nationwide MobileMuster program and established a collection point at the council’s Customer Service Centre, Magid Drive, Narre Warren. And more collection points are on the way.
Casey mayor Colin Butler said the program was a great initiative and hoped being involved would help boost recycling levels.
The manager of the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association’s national recycling program, Rose Read, said MobileMuster was the official recycling program of the mobile phone industry and funded by 16 mobile phone makers and network carriers.
Research shows Australians upgrade or exchange their mobile phones every 18 to 24 months, meaning there are about 16 million unused mobile phones.
One tonne of mobile phone circuit boards can yield about the same amount of precious metals as 110 tonnes of gold ore, 123 tonnes of sliver bearing ore and 11 tonnes of copper sulphide ore.
For details on recycling points visit www.mobilemuster.com.au.