Values of Used iPhones Skyrockets After Release of iPhone 4

July 7, 2010 - PRLog -- Just three days after the launch of the new iPhone 4, Apple announced that it had sold over 1.7 million units, and called it "the most successful product launch in Apple's history." With an estimated 148 million cell phones being discarded last year, many wonder what is happening to all the old iPhones upon upgrade.

Though they have been replaced with a newer, flashier model, the older generations of the iPhone are still worth money, mostly due to their expensive components. CFK and Recycle 4 Soldiers, the electronics recycling programs run by Access Computer Products, Inc. headquartered in Loveland, CO, reports that older versions of the iPhone can be worth between $40 and $225 each. If the monetary value of the phones isn't enough to keep them from being tossed in the garbage, environmentalists want consumers to understand the danger of cell phones decomposing in landfills--cadmium, lithium, and mercury can all leech into the soil and water, harming animals, people, and delicate ecosystems.

In an effort to keep retired iPhones from landfills, many companies are setting up recycling programs. CFK and Recycle 4 Soldiers have been recycling for over 10 years, and in that time have recycled over $14 million worth of cell phones and other electronics. In honor of the new iPhone 4 release, CFK and Recycle 4 Soldiers are giving away cash as an incentive for people to recycle their older versions.

CFK and Recycle 4 Soldiers will send prepaid shipping labels to anyone interested in recycling their used iPhones (or other electronics). Not only will they pay the market value, in cash, of the items sent in, but if 10 iPhones are sent, the company will include an extra $50.

CFK and Recycle 4 Soldiers is EPA certified, and recycles or refurbishes all electronics according to federal, state, and local standards. They do not export electronic waste/scrap.

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About CFK: CFK was launched nationwide in 1999.  Since its inception, this recycling program for schools and non-profits has helped organizations fundraise over $13 million. CFK is free for participants, and dedicated to recycling or reusing responsibly.