Where do Mobile phones go?

A phone contains gold, silver, palladium, copper and cobalt in concentrations far higher than the ore they came from, and a lithium cell that rules out every ordinary bin. Networks and manufacturers run trade-in and postal recycling schemes, charities refurbish handsets, and any household waste centre has a WEEE cage. The step people skip is the data: a factory reset on a modern encrypted handset is sufficient, but sign out of the accounts first or the device stays locked to you and becomes unusable for anyone else. Local WEEE arrangements vary, so check whether your council collects small electricals at the kerb before making a trip.

How to prepare it

1. Back up, then sign out of the account that locks the device, then factory reset.
2. Remove the SIM and any memory card.
3. Trade in or donate if it still works; recycle if it does not.

What not to do

• Never bin a phone — the cell is a fire risk and the metals are lost.
• Never hand one over still signed in; activation lock makes it scrap.

Kerbside collection rules genuinely vary by council and county, and local rules always win over general guidance. The reasoning above is what transfers — if your service differs, it will usually be for a reason described here.

Other things that go to shop or manufacturer take-back

• Household batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V) Battery collection point — a supermarket or DIY store box, or the household waste centre. Never the kerbside bin.
• Lithium-ion batteries Battery or WEEE collection point only. A lithium cell in a bin lorry is a fire, not a littering problem.
• Vapes and disposable e-cigarettes A vape shop or supermarket take-back bin. It is electrical waste with a lithium cell inside, not litter.
• Disposable coffee cups Not the kerbside bin. Take them to a shop cup collection point, or general waste — the lid and sleeve recycle separately.
• Button and coin cells Battery collection point. Tape them first — and keep them away from small children until they go.
• Coffee pods and capsules Brand take-back scheme if aluminium; general waste for most plastic pods. Compostable ones need a food waste collection.
• Rechargeable batteries (NiMH, NiCd) Battery collection point. NiCd cells contain cadmium and are hazardous waste in most jurisdictions.
• Laptops and computers Wipe the drive, then donate, trade in or take it to WEEE recycling. The battery makes binning it a fire risk.
• Printer cartridges Manufacturer freepost return or a shop collection box. Not the kerbside bin.
• Tyres Tyre fitter or household waste centre, usually for a small fee. They are banned from landfill in the UK and EU.
• Power banks and portable chargers Small electricals collection or a battery take-back point. It is a lithium cell in a plastic shell.
• Propane and patio gas cylinders Back to the supplier or exchange point. Refillable cylinders are almost never yours to scrap.
• Bubble wrap and postal air pillows Soft plastics collection at a supermarket, or reuse it. Not the kerbside bin.
• Toys and gadgets with batteries inside Take the batteries out and deal with them separately; the toy then goes in small electricals. Sealed ones go in whole.