Want to fight e-waste and make some extra cash? Deposit your old mobile phones and MP3 players into an ecoATM kiosk and you’ll be rewarded with cash, store credit, or the option to donate all or part of that cash to your favorite charity.
ecoATM, the award-winning San Diego start-up known for its commitment to the environment, has designed a machine that can distinguish between 4,000 different types of electronic devices with 97.5% accuracy to give you the right amount of money for your electronics. ecoATM can also tell if a device has any sort of damage, like a cracked screen, to help determine how much it is worth.
“There are going to be millions of people buying the new iPhone 5. When they do, we want there to be an ecoATM nearby for them to cash in or recycle their old phones,” said Tom Tullie, chairman and chief executive officer of ecoATM. “We pay more on average than any of the mail-in options – up to $250 for some phones. That’s enough to pay for your new iPhone 5,” added Mr. Tullie.
Currently there are 150 ecoATMs installed around the country – the company is hoping to reach 300 by the end of the year.
What happens to your old iPod once it’s accepted by the ecoATM? Around 75% of the devices people deposit will go to a new owner and the rest will be recycled.
And how exactly does this all work? Watch the video below to find out!
Source: ecoseed