With exciting new smartphone features launching every year, we’re upgrading our devices more often, however, this is adding to the growing challenge of electronic waste. But here’s the good news: there are simple ways to give your old phone a second life – if it’s in good condition, you can trade it in for an Officeworks gift card through our Trade-In program, or if it’s no longer working well, simply hand it to one of our friendly team members in-store for recycling.

Why Should I Trade or Recycle My Old Phone?

A woman looking at her phone carrying a canvas tote bag filled with groceries.

When you trade in or recycle your phone, you’re supporting the circular economy, which is all about ensuring that valuable devices are kept in use and that precious materials don’t end up in landfill. According to MobileMuster, the recycling program through which Officeworks recycles mobile phones, almost 26 million unused phones are currently sitting in Australian homes, with about a fifth no longer working – that's a lot of untapped value just gathering dust!

SEE ALSO: Electronic Recycling: Everything You Need to Know

What’s the Harm in Keeping a Spare Phone Lying Around? 

Hands wearing yellow gloves holding out three old phones in front of a container filled with used electronic devices.

We all love a backup plan, but holding on to old phones while upgrading to new ones disrupts the balance between consumption and reuse and recycling; and our current rate of resource consumption isn’t sustainable. According to the Global E-waste Monitor report, 62 million tonnes of electronic waste (including computers, TVs, appliances and mobile phones) was discarded in 2022. Only 22.3 per cent was reported to have been properly recycled, which roughly amounted to less than one quarter of that year’s electronic waste.

It's better for both the planet and your wallet to extend your device’s life through trade-in before it reaches the recycling stage. By keeping phones, laptops and tablets in use longer, we’re reducing demand for new manufacturing. And when a device is truly at the end of its life, recycling taps into those valuable resources, such gold, silver, copper and rare earth elements. Both options help cut greenhouse gas emissions and conserve our planet’s finite resources.

Hot Tip: Smartphones aren’t the only devices full of valuable, reusable and recyclable materials. Chargers, cables, tech accessories and many other kinds of electronics are all recyclable – think computer monitors, keyboards, hard drives, mice and printers. You can drop these items off at your nearest Officeworks store by placing them in the Bring it Back recycling station.

SEE ALSO: Make Your Device Last: Screen Protectors, Battery Life And More

How Do I Wipe My Data from My Old Phone?

A SIM card in the palm of someone’s hand.

People are often reluctant to get rid of an old phone due to concerns over data security – but you can remedy this in a few simple steps: 

  1. Back up your data to your cloud-based account so that you don’t lose any important information or media.
  2. Log out of all cloud accounts.
  3. Restore the phone to factory settings. This will wipe all your data from the phone.
  4. Upload your backed-up files from the cloud to your new phone.

MobileMuster has instructions for data removal for different smartphone brands and links to tools to help you transfer files from your old phone to a new one. If you’re not transferring your old SIM card to a new phone, snip it in half and then half again with scissors. It can then be recycled along with the other components of your phone. 

SEE ALSO: Connect 101: How to Set Up a New Phone From a Backup

Where Do I Trade In or Recycle My Old Phone?

Got devices that are still working well? Trade them in online or scan the QR code in-store for an instant Officeworks gift card. With just a few quick questions, you’ll find out what your old phone, tablet, laptop or smart watch is worth, then receive a digital gift card for the agreed value to spend on whatever you like in-store or online at Officeworks. 

If your device isn’t eligible for trade-in, hand it to a team member in-store for recycling.

What Happens to My Phone After I Trade In or Recycle?

Traded-in phones in good condition go to our partner Moorup, a B Corp Certified and carbon-neutral company. They’ll wipe data, clean, repair and renew devices, giving them a second life with someone new.

“Our mission is to extend the lives of electronic devices, helping customers save money, while helping the planet become more sustainable. For consumers, we want to make personal electronics purchasing more sustainable by reducing e-waste and making it more affordable for customers when upgrading their technology,” says Moorup chief partnerships officer Peter Solomon.

Phones that can’t be traded in are handled by our recycling partner EcoBatt. They’ll expertly disassemble your phone into components like batteries, screens, casings and circuit boards, then process them to recover valuable materials for new products.

By choosing to trade in or recycle your phone with us, you’re contributing to a more circular economy and helping create a more sustainable future.

This article was originally published in 2021 and has been updated.