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MEDIA ADVISORY
January 17, 2008
CONTACT:
Kara Bussabarger
kara.bussabarger@louisvilleky.gov
502-238-5331 (502-744-5639 Media Cell)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 Recycle
a cell phone.
Save a gorilla.
Louisville Zoo named #1 Zoo in the U.S. for
cell phone recycling efforts
The Louisville Zoo is trying to do something
about the 100 million cell phones Americans discard each year. And,
according to ECO-CELL, North America’s premiere cell phone recycling
program, it is doing just that.
Out of 100 Zoos, the Louisville Zoo was listed
as the No. 1 zoo in the United States for cell phone recycling efforts
in 2007 and No. 2 in North America just behind Toronto Zoo.
“Recycling and conservation are vital to our
planet,” Louisville Zoo Director John Walczak said. “And the simple act
of dropping off your old cell phone at our Zoo is a way to help the
environment while at the same time helping to save the world’s precious
gorillas.”
Cell phones contain a metallic ore called
Coltan, a mineral that is refined into a heat-resistant powder that
holds an electrical charge. The powder, which regulates voltage and
stores energy, is essential for coating components of cell phones and
other modern devices such as laptops, pagers and PDAs. Coltan is found
in the Congo of central Africa, home to endangered lowland gorillas.
Forest habitats are being cleared and gorillas, along with other rare
animals, are being killed for bushmeat—a negative side industry of ore
mining. The United Nations has reported that in the past five years, the
eastern lowland gorilla population in the Congo has declined 90 percent
because of these destructive activities. By reducing the demand for
Coltan, gorillas and their habitats will be saved.
“When we first started recycling cell phones in
2003, we learned about the Coltan and gorilla issue from the Louisville
Zoo and decided to make the conservation of gorillas and wildlife the
thrust of our program as a result,” said Eric Ronay, president of
ECO-CELL, which is headquartered in Louisville. “Needless to say, they
were our very first partner and they have made a tremendous impact on
our organization. In turn, every decision we make regarding our
environmental practices is guided by the standards set by the Louisville
Zoo and our many Association of Zoos and Aquariums partners. Partnering
with zoos is business logic, since millions of people visit North
American zoos annually. We set up a collection point at the front gate
of those zoos and just invite the public to bring in their old cell
phones.”
In 2007, ECO-CELL diverted 4,000 pounds of
toxic cell phone batteries, 33,000 cell phones and 4,000 pounds of cell
phone accessories from landfills. The Louisville Zoo helped in that
effort by collecting 3,051 cell phones from visitors who donated their
old phones by dropping them in a designated container at the Zoo’s
entrance.
ECO-CELL recycles phones that are deemed “end
of life,” and reuses other phones by either providing them to charities
for emergency 911 uses or reselling them to refurbishers who in turn
sell them to emerging markets where the cost of a new cell phone is
often restrictive.
ECO-CELL gives the Zoo anywhere from 45 cents
to $15 per phone donated, depending on the type. This money helps
support the Zoo’s conservation programs. Since 2003, ECO-CELL has given
the Louisville Zoo close to $13,000.
“The Louisville Zoo has always been a leader in
conservation and preservation issues,” said Louisville Mayor Jerry
Abramson. “It’s appropriate that the Zoo would be at the forefront of
this recycling effort, and I am pleased that their efforts have been
recognized as among the best in the country.”
So, if you have an old cell phone lying
around—maybe you got a new one for Christmas—bring it to the Louisville
Zoo and help save a gorilla! Just make sure your service is disconnected
and your phone is cleared of all its data. Then drop it off at the Zoo
(there is a designated cell phone donation box at the Zoo’s entrance).
Organizations and groups are also encouraged to collect old cell phones
and bring them to the Zoo for donation.
“Conservation is at the heart of our mission of
bettering the bond between people and our planet,” Walczak said. “This
recycling effort not only helps gorillas, but also improves the health
of our Earth.”
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For more information on ECO-CELL, visit
www.eco-cell.org. For more information on the Louisville Zoo, visit
www.louisvillezoo.org.
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The Louisville Zoo, a non-profit organization
and state zoo of Kentucky, is dedicated to bettering the bond between
people and our planet by providing excellent care for animals, a great
experience for visitors, and leadership in scientific research and
conservation education. The Zoo is accredited by the American
Association of Museums (AAM) and by the Association of Zoos and
Aquariums (AZA).
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