Metech International has launched a new scheme in North America allowing consumers to send their old mobile phones for recycling through the post.

Jim Gardner, market development manager at Metech, explained the initiative aimed to reduce pressures on landfill by reducing the waste stream and protect the environment from potentially harmful materials such as heavy metals.

'Many people don't realise that throwing away cell phones threatens the environment,' he said.

'Mobile phones contain toxic materials such as lead and cadmium. Given the large number of cell phones discarded every year, even trace amounts of harmful materials pose a real hazard.'

Mr Gardner added that mobiles contain many precious metals such as platinum and palladium, which will be recovered through the recycling programme for reuse in other applications.

Given that there are more than 150 million mobile subscribers in North America, and that subscribers upgrade their mobile phone on average every 18 months, the potential resource of precious metals is significant.