Now’s a great time to find a better use for that old mobile phone – drop it off at Waitomo District Council and raise money for The Starship National Air Ambulance Service.

This is invaluable service flies medical experts to emergencies around the country and brings children back to Starship for lifesaving care.

WDC is joining in the successful campaign that has been raising funds for The Starship foundation since 2009, raising over $2.4 million to help fund the Starship National Air Ambulance.

Once collected, the phones are passed to a specialist recycling company, Swapkit, who grade the phones and wipe the data. Sim and memory cards are also removed and destroyed.

Phones that can still be used are sold to off-shore businesses that specialise in the resale of second hand mobile phones. They are refurbished and sold as low cost handsets.

Those that have reached their end of life are broken down and recycled in an environmentally friendly way. All proceeds from the re-sale of mobile devices go to Starship.

All mobile phones are accepted regardless of condition (working or non-working), make or model.