MADISON, Wis. -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has launched a campaign aimed at increasing cell phone recycling and Madison area residents can join in and both help the environment as well as a local nonprofit.

The Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison is a collection point for residents' unwanted cell phones.

Sarah DeTiene, the executive director of the Henry Vilas Zoological Society, said that the partnership fits because one of the minerals in cell phones -- coltan -- is harvested in Africa and the process is depleting gorilla and chimpanzee habitats.

"Statistics are showing harvesting of this mineral is decreasing their habitat and causing problems for the animals themselves," DeTiene said, "By recycling our cell phones, we're able to reuse these resources as well as establish the habitat for the animals."

Organizers said that residents can drop off their old cell phones for free. The zoo benefits from 15 cents to $15 a phone. In three years, the zoo's cell phone collection generated $3,500 for the zoo's greatest needs, DeTiene said.

The zoo's cell phone collection consistently ranks among the highest at zoos nationwide, WISC-TV reported.

Cell phones are a form of electronic waste, or e-waste. The EPA estimates that if every retired cell phone was recycled -- and there's about 100 million of them -- the nation would save enough electricity to power more than 194,000 homes for one year. It would also reduce greenhouse gas emissions equal to taking more than 1,300 cars off the road for one year, according to the EPA.

For More Info

Get background on the Henry Vilas Zoo Cell Phone Recycling Program
For more information about the EPA's "It's An Easy Call" Recycling Campaign and other collection points, visit this Web site or this site