Old phones, big impact: Macarthur scores well in recycling stakes
CAMPBELLTOWN City Council has come in second place in MobileMuster’s FY26 council collection figures in NSW, with residents helping recycle 254.90kg of recycled mobile phones.
Hornsby Council came in first. The five-year recycling picture shows strong recycling efforts are about consistency, information sharing and access.
MobileMuster’s Head of Sustainability and Social Impact, Helen Maisano, said the results were a chance to celebrate communities making mobile phone recycling part of their routine.
“Campbelltown is a big, growing community with an equally impressive appetite for recycling, collecting 254.90kg of old mobiles and accessories in the past financial year, Helen said.
“From Ingleburn to Campbelltown and the communities around the Georges and Nepean Rivers, residents are showing how everyday actions can make a difference.
“Many of us still have old phones sitting in drawers ‘just in case’, so taking a few minutes to clear them out is a simple way to make sure they are recycled and put to good use.”
“It’s great to see councils across Australia and their communities getting behind MobileMuster, and there’s room for a little friendly competition.”
With around 22 million unused mobile phones estimated to be sitting in Australian homes, Ms Maisano said there was significant potential to recover more of these devices and the materials inside them.
“Of those phones, around 12 million no longer work. If a device has reached the end of its useful life, there’s little reason to leave it sitting forgotten in a drawer.”
For those hesitant to part with an old phone because of concerns about personal information, Ms Maisano said MobileMuster provided a secure way to recycle unwanted devices.
“We encourage people to back up their information and factory reset their phone where they can, and any data remaining on a device is destroyed when it is recycled.”
MobileMuster accepts all brands and types of mobile phones, batteries, chargers and accessories, including broken and obsolete devices. Devices collected through the program are not refurbished or resold.
Councils across Australia can opt-in to be a MobileMuster collection site, at locations including libraries, community centres and council buildings.
The initiative has responsibly recycled more than 2,000 tonnes of e-waste since 1998, with free collection options available around Australia.
Residents can search MobileMuster to find their nearest collection point, and if you’re in a rural or remote area, MobileMuster can arrange free post-back options.
In September, every phone donated to MobileMuster also benefits Zoo conservation efforts across Australia. $1 for every recycled phone will go towards helping primates and their habitats around the world, in partnership with Zoos Victoria, Zoos SA, Sydney Zoo, and Taronga Zoo.
Visit: www.mobilemuster.com.au
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