• There are over 3,500 MobileMuster collection points across Australia, including Nokia Care and Motorola Service One Centres; mobile phone retailers Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, 3 Mobile, Virgin Mobile, Crazy Johns, Fone Zone, Allphones as well as participating local councils, Cartridge World stores, Battery World stores and Sydney Credit Union branches.

• Australians upgrade or exchange their mobile phones every 18 to 24 months.

• 80% of people choose to keep or give away their old mobile phones, less than 2% throw them out.

• There is an estimated 14-16 million old and unused mobile phones stashed away in cupboards and drawers at home and work.

• Net imports of mobile phones into Australia for 2008/09 were 7.86 million units.  This is equivalent to 1,573 tonnes (assuming average unit weight of 200g - handset, battery, charger and accessory included).

• In 2008/2009 MobileMuster collected 122 tonnes of mobile phone components including 806,000 handsets and batteries, 26% more than in 2007/2008.

• 647 tonnes of handsets, batteries, chargers and accessories have been collected since the recycling program was initiated by AMTA in 1999.  This includes 4.43 million batteries and handsets.

• One tonne of mobile phone circuits can yield the same amount of precious metals as 110 tonnes of gold ore, 123 tonnes of silver bearing ore and 11 tonnes of copper sulphide ore.

• Mobile phones are not biodegradable and contain small amounts of potentially harmful substances which if not managed properly may harm the environment.

• MobileMuster is a whole of industry not for profit program that is funded voluntarily by handset and accessory manufacturers Nokia, Motorola, Samsung Electronics, HTC, LG Electronics, Sony Ericsson, Sharp, I-Mate, Force Technology and network carriers Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, 3 Mobile, Virgin Mobile and AAPT.

• All recycling of mobile phone components is to the highest environmental standards.

• None of the mobiles are refurbished or resold.

MobileMuster recycling points can be found at the following locations near Great Lakes Council:

• Great Lakes Council, Tuncurry Waste Management Centre, Tuncurry Tip Road, Tuncurry;
• Great Lakes Council, Stroud District Office, Cowper Street, Stroud;
• Great Lakes Council, Tea Gardens District Office, Myall Street, Tea Gardens;
• Telstra Shop, Shop 138 Stockland Shopping Centre, 21 Breese Parade, Forster;
• North Coast TAFE Taree Campus Student Association Taree Campus, Montgomery Crescent, Taree;
• Fone Zone, Shop 121 Stockland Forster, Breese Parade Forster;
• Dick Smith Electronics, Tenancy 14 Stockland Forster, Breese Parade, Forster;
• Cartridge World, 6 Little Street, Forster.

Pre Paid Satchels are available from:

• Australia Post outlets;
• Forster Post Shop Australia Post, 18 Beach Road, Forster;
• Australia Post Pacific Palms LPO, 209 Charlotte Bay Street, Charlotte Bay;
• Australia Post Forster Shopping Village LPO, Shop 117 Stockland Forster, 317 Breese Parade, Forster;
• Australia Post Stroud LPO, 59 Cowper Street, Stroud;
• Australia Post Tuncurry LPO, 84 Manning Street, Tuncurry;
• Australia Post Bulahdelah LPO, 88 Stroud Road, Bulahdelah;
• or www.mobilemuster.com.au .