A growing number of people are realizing the financial and environmentally friendly benefits of recycling their old mobile phones.

Each year, more than 60 million mobile phones end up in landfills across the country. This is unacceptable. Not only do these phones take up valuable landfill space, they can leak dangerous chemicals – such as lithium, cadmium and mercury – into the soil.

Fortunately, several companies allow you to recycle your outdated mobile phones. This prevents them from ending up in landfills. Even better, it sends a bit of extra spending money to your pocket.

Here’s how the process works. First, search the Internet for a company that recycles old mobile phones. This shouldn’t be difficult: Many such companies already exist, and more are joining the business every day.

Once you find a company you like, search their site for your particular mobile phone. After you’ve found your model, click on its icon on the site. The company will then send you a quote, the amount it is willing to pay for your mobile phone.

If you think the company is quoting you a fair price, accept its offer. The company will then send you a padded envelope. You put your old mobile phone in the envelope, send it off and wait for your money.

Steps to take before sending off that mobile phone

Of course, mobile phones are filled with all manner of personal data. Your mobile phone will most likely have the phone numbers of your friends and family members programmed into it, for one thing. And depending upon how sophisticated your mobile phone is, you may have other personal information programmed into it, too.

The operators of companies that give you cash for your mobile phones recommend that you erase all personal information from your old phone before sending it to them. This removes any opportunity that someone could use that information against you.

It’s also important to remove your SIM card from your mobile phone. Most phone-recycling companies will simply destroy your SIM card if you forget to do this.

Most companies also ask you to charge your phone before sending it off to them. Don’t forget, then, to take this extra step.

As you can see, recycling your mobile phone for cash is a relatively easy process. Sure, it takes a few steps. But isn’t it worth it to get a bit of extra spending money?

And if the thought of extra cash isn’t enough, remember that by recycling your old mobile phones, you are doing a great service to the environment.

And you don’t have to stop with mobile phones, either. Many of the private recycling companies will recycle old iPods and inkjets, too. These devices, too, are frequently being tossed in the trash, inkjets because they run out of ink so quickly and iPods because so many people upgrade to newer, more improved models.

In fact, consumer electronics have become a serious problem at our country’s landfills. As technology improves, people are constantly updating to new TVs, computers, mobile phones and digital cameras. Unfortunately, many of these same people are simply throwing their old electronic equipment in the trash, where it eventually ends up in a landfill.

So be part of the solution, not the problem. Instead of tossing your old mobile phone in the trash – or simply throwing it in a desk drawer or the top of your dresser at home -- do the financially and environmentally smart thing. Send it to a phone-recycling company.

After all, how many times do you get to do good and get paid for it at the same time?