Put your old phone to good use

Now is a great time to find a better use for that old mobile phone - drop it off at Rotorua Lakes Council's customer centre and help raise funds for the Starship National Air Ambulance Service.

The invaluable air ambulance service flies medical experts to emergencies around the country - including Rotorua - and brings children back to Starship for lifesaving care.

Rotorua Lakes Council is joining in the successful campaign that has been raising funds for the Starship foundation since 2009 - with over $2.4 million raised so far to help fund the Starship National Air Ambulance.

Once collected, the mobile phones are passed to a specialist recycling company, Swapkit, which grades them and wipes any data. Sim and memory cards are also removed and destroyed.

The council says phones that can still be used are sold to off-shore businesses that specialise in the re-sale of second hand mobile phones. There they are refurbished and sold as low cost handsets.

Those phones that have reached the end of their life are broken down and recycled in an environmentally-friendly way, with all proceeds from their re-sale going to Starship.

All mobile phones are accepted, regardless of make, model or condition - working or non-working.

They can be dropped into the Starship mobile phone collection box in the customer centre at Rotorua Lakes Council offices in Haupapa Street. The customer centre is open weekdays 8am to 5pm.