Ask Liz First » Cell Phones

Cell Phone Use May Cause Cancer

Liz — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 11:44:46 +0000

It has been previously stated many times, that cell phone usage could be a contributing cause to cancer. But, those statements have mostly been dismissed by medical professionals as hearsay. Now, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released the results of some preliminary studies that say otherwise.

Just this week, The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) announced that it has classified cell phone radiation as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” based on an increased risk for a malignant type of brain cancer associated with mobile phone use. The IARC is a part of WHO, and it’s main purpose is to research the causes of human cancer and try to find strategies for prevention and control of it.

Their research also identified an association between cell phone use, salivary gland tumors, and a tumor of the nerve that links the ear to the brain.

For the IARC to announce these findings, should give pause to those who regularly have a cell phone at their ear. There are alternatives available via blue tooth capabilities with headsets and GPS units, etc. Although, it may require a minor inconvenience initially, the benefits outweigh the inconvenience.

In addition to the health hazards associated with holding a cell phone while using it, there are also the safety issues while operating a motor vehicle. These factors alone, should be significant enough to look for alternatives.

The Environmental Working Group has been talking about cancer and it’s relationship to cell phone usage since 2009. They have a guide published on their website that addresses this very topic and provides information on specific cell phones and how much radiation is emitted from each of them.

Remember when people dismissed the Surgeon General’s warning on the side of cigarette packs over 30 years ago? “May be hazardous” has been proven true in regards to tobacco and could very well be true in this situation. The questions is whether or not the public wants to wait and gamble with their lives or be proactive now, just in case.

Recycle Your Old Cell Phones

Liz — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 23:05:18 +0000

‘Tis the season for gift giving and many of those gifts will include new cell phones and other small electronic devices. With that, comes the need to dispose of all the recently discarded cell phones, etc. There are several ways to get rid of your old cell phones and do it in an environmentally conscious way.

An excellent resource is your local domestic violence organization/shelter. Even though a cell phone’s provider service is discontinued, as long as the phone is in good working order and is charged up, it will still make emergency calls to 911.

Local organizations collect the unwanted cell phones, clear all the owner and call history information, and reissue the phones to those who are in need of a phone for possible emergency situations.

Many retail locations now accept cell phones and rechargeable batteries. Home Depot, Sears, Lowe’s, Staples, just to name a few. You can also go to Call2Recycle’s website and search by your zip code for more locations.

Why should you recycle your old cell phones?

As stated on the RecycleMyCellPhone.org website; cell phones are potentially hazardous waste because they contain lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic. If thrown in the trash and sent to incinerators or landfills, environmental contamination can occur from combustion and leaching into soil and groundwater.

Please take the time to gather up the unwanted cell phones, PDA’s and such from your home or office and find recycler or worthy organization to donate them to. Most non-profit organizations will even provide a donation receipt that you can use for tax purposes.

Take that extra step and find eco-friendly ways to dispose of these and other discarded items this holiday season.

Toxic Electronic Waste

Liz — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:02:00 +0000

Our discarded electronics, (commonly referred to as E-Waste); computers, televisions, cell phones and such, are often being shipped out of the US and over to developing countries, only to turn those countries into toxic waste dumps. Residents of those countries often salvage portions of the waste, and the contents of it are used by them in a manner, which can be detrimental to their health and/or the environment’s. There are some really easy solutions for disposal of EWaste, which can be found on Earth 911’s website.

But, to get a better understanding of the improper methods of disposal of toxic electronic waste, watch the feature story that 60 Minutes will be airing this Sunday. Here’s the video clip for more info about the upcoming 60 Minutes story:

Watch CBS Videos Online

Recyling Cell Phones – A Win-Win

Liz — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 00:03:00 +0000

My “Church-Son”, Riley Hoobery, is an awesome guy, who has a heart bigger than the State of Idaho. Riley is an active volunteer for usually one or two organizations at any given time.

For the last couple of years, he’s been the an area rep for Cell Phones For Life, Inc. Riley maintains drop boxes at several locations in our local community and then goes out and retrieves the phones that are donated.

If, you weren’t aware, even after an owner of a cellphone terminates his cellphone provider service, i.e.; Sprint, Verizon, etc., the cellphone will still work if the battery is kept charged and can be used to call 911, in the event of an emergency.

So, these donated cell phones are then cleared of all contacts, phone numbers, and any miscellanous information and redistributed to the disabled, elderly and domestic violence shelters. There is no record back to the original owner. The broken or non-reusable phones are recycled through Project KOPEG out of Boise, ID.

What a wonderful way to keep your unwanted or broken cell phone out of the landfills! And then, the cell phone’s lifetime is extended to who knows how long, being used by someone who may have no other way to call for help, in an emergency situation.

For more information you can email or call Riley. His email is rhoobery@fmtc.com and his contact phone is 206/888-6582. Also, you can get more information on this organization via their website at www.cellphonesforlife.org

P.S. Your donation is also Tax Deductible.