Recycle For Life
Participating in the Children’s Organ Transplant Association Recycle for Life program helps COTA families in your community.
COTA Community Campaigns will receive 100% of the current recycling value for each recyclable cell phone and spent printer ink cartridge collected by the campaign volunteers. The amount received varies per item and is determined by the recycler based on current market values. No bag-type or analog phones are accepted.
How to Participate
Follow these simple steps to make a difference for a COTA family!
- Set up collection sites in your community.
- Spread the word about the need for used cell phones/ink cartridges and promote the collection dates and locations
- Collect a minimum of 8 used cellular phones, 18 inkjet cartridges or eight laser ink cartridges.
- Submit your Recycling Results Form to COTA via mail, fax or email. Click on Recycling Results Form to download the results form.
- You will be sent mailing UPS paid shipping labels containing identification specific to your group. Allow 14 days to receive your labels.
- Pack the phones and cartridges you collected and send them to the recycler. Please remember to pack ink cartridges and phones in separate boxes.
- Drop off boxes at your local UPS Authorized Drop-Off location.
Please note: Epson inkjet and laser cartridges, Brother inkjet cartridges, and remanufactured cartridges are not recyclable and should not be included with shipments.
Recycling Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do we need to include the phone’s SIM Card?
A: No. You should remove and discard it as it may contain your address book. It is not used or recycled in any way.
Q: Do we leave the Memory Card in the phone?
A: Leave the memory card in the phone, especially if it’s needed for the phone to work.?
Q: What do I do with Chargers / Car Chargers/ Accessories/ Manuals?
A: Do not include chargers, car chargers, accessories, manuals, etc. in shipments to the recycler. These items are not recycled.
Q: Will I need to make sure to delete the Phone Memory?
A: It is recommended that everything be deleted from the phone’s memory. However, part of the recycling process is reformatting the phone, which erases everything that has been downloaded or entered into the phone. Things like pictures, address info, games and MP3s will be deleted by the recycler.
Q: Is there any value to broken phones?
A: Yes - broken phones are recycled for the parts or the precious metals - nothing winds up in a landfill.
Q: Do the phones we collect need to be the newest models?
A: Older phones are recycled, but reformatted to remove personal information and programmed exclusively for use as emergency phones. They are donated to organizations that work with abuse shelters, senior groups and law enforcement.
Helpful Tips
- Locate a sturdy box that will hold your items.
- Pack ink cartridges separately from phones.
- Follow minimum guidelines: 8 cell phones, 8 laser cartridges or 18 ink jet cartridges.
- Fill the box and tape securely.
- Apply UPS shipping label. Do not use more than one label per box.
- Do not pack boxes so that they weigh more than 40 pounds.
- Drop off boxes at an authorized UPS location. To locate your nearest UPS center, call 800.PICKUPS.
- DO NOT call UPS for a pick-up - UPS will charge a non-refundable $10 fee for this service.
Why Recycle?
- Easy to organize and promote.
- Untapped revenue potential.
- No products to buy.
- No cost to your committee or organization.
- Benefits your campaign.
- Environmentally friendly
An estimated 130 million wireless phones are discarded each year.
Recycling Results Form
Giving Hope:
“COTA gave us the ability to not focus on finances, but to be able to focus on Luke. Of course the financial strain of transplant and being away from home and unable to work is always on your mind. COTA gave us hope that we would get through Luke’s transplant and emerge on the other side in a better place.”
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