NEW YORK, APRIL 22, 2005 – The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC), a non-profit dedicated to rechargeable battery recycling, today announced the results of a new survey about consumers’ growing reliance on wireless products, as well as the environmental attitudes and behavior that accompany the wireless product explosion.
The survey, which was conducted by NOP World on behalf of RBRC, shows that Americans use an average of six wireless products in their day-to-day lives, and over 30% of consumers own and use eight or more wireless products. A similar study conducted in 2003 by RBRC found that consumers owned and used an average of five wireless products, while in 1999 consumers were using an average of three wireless products.
?People are growing increasingly reliant on rechargeable batteries to power their daily lives,? said Ralph Millard, Executive Vice President, RBRC. ?As this reliance grows, so does the need to recycle the rechargeable batteries found in these products. Our program, Call2Recycle?, is set up to make recycling cellphones and the rechargeable batteries found in wireless products easy and convenient for all consumers ? not just on Earth Day, but year-round.?
The list of wireless products powered by rechargeable batteries today includes numerous communication and music listening devices (e.g., iPods, laptop computers, Blackberry, pagers, personal organizers and cordless or cellular phones), as well as digital cameras, cordless power tools, electric toothbrushes, camcorders, handheld mini vacuums and remote-controlled toys.
The survey also reveals:
- The average American cellphone user has a total of 2.6 or more cellphones in their possession, while over 34% of Americans have a total of three or more cellphones.
- Over 40% of Americans replace their cellphone about every two years and roughly 20% replace their cellphones annually.
- Over 47% of those surveyed still have their old cellphones.
- Respondents also hang on to shopping bags and bottles (13.2% and 5.7% respectively) in order to re-use them.
- When asked what they do that is the most ?eco-friendly,? 36.1% said they turn out all lights when not in the room, and 34% said that they recycle. Others (9.1%) reported using water-conserving showers and toilets while 8.9% make sure to turn off the faucet while brushing their teeth.
- The survey also reveals which celebrities Americans think are most ?green.? Susan Sarandon and Leonardo Dicaprio lead the way with 9% and 8.5%, respectively. Interestingly, only 1.4% named U2 singer and activist Bono and fewer than 1% of respondents named consumer advocate Ralph Nader.
- When asked which wireless product they could not live without and would want if stranded on a desert island, nearly 50% (49.3%) of respondents chose their cellphone; only 11.7% say they cannot live without their iPods and 11.3% chose their laptop computers.
- Nearly 90% of those surveyed would be more likely to recycle their old cellphones and used rechargeable batteries if there was a convenient drop-off location at a store near them.
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About Call2Recycle®
Call2Recycle is the industry?s first and only product stewardship program for rechargeable batteries. The nonprofit program is administered by the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC), a public service organization dedicated to rechargeable battery recycling. There are more than 30,000 Call2Recycle drop-off locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. More than 175 manufacturers and marketers of portable rechargeable batteries and products show their commitment to conserve natural resources and prevent rechargeable batteries from entering the solid waste stream by funding the Call2Recycle program. In pursuit of its mission, Call2Recycle also collects old cellphones, which are either recycled or refurbished and resold when possible with a portion of the proceeds benefiting select charities. For more information, call 877-2-RECYCLE or visit www.call2recycle.org.
APR