Washington, DC -- A campaign to get consumers to recycle cell phones kicks off. The Environmental Protection Agency, as well as many retailers, manufacturers and service providers are behind the effort. A 175-thousand-dollar campaign, called "Recycle Your Cell Phone. It's an Easy Call," is being launched to tout the environmental and social reasons for recycling. It'll rely heavily on public service announcements in lifestyle and technology magazines read by the 18-to-24-year-olds who trade up to new cell phones most often. The EPA estimates that as many 150-million cell phones are taken out of service annually. The phones contain metals, plastics and chemicals which could be hazardous if they end up in landfills and leach into the ground. In addition, many old phones still work and can be donated to charities or distributed to the less fortunate.

(Copyright Newsroom Solutions)