The Truth Behind Cell Phone Trade-In Programs

Many smart phone enthusiasts as of late have expressed some frustration about its high cost. Yes, the price of these phones can be subsidized by your trade-in of your prior year's model. But the question is, where are all these used phones? Why haven't the prices in the used market come down? The origins of recent cell phone trade-in programs is derived from our "E-Waste Recycling" program from the 90's.

The E-Waste Recycling program began, not as a means to reduce our carbon foot print, but more for gathering resources. Since 1996, China has held a monopoly on a very special and rare element known as Rare Earth. Rare Earth is a critical element used in the production of a variety of high tech products ranging from smart phones to stealth bombers. Without it, our great army would be handicapped.

China foresaw this and began purchasing rare earth mines all around the world, including the two we had here in the United States. In addition to cornering the rare earth market, China has also restricted the amount of rare earth that we're allowed to buy. So if you're concerned about your old cell phone ending up in a landfill somewhere, you'll be happy to know that a part of it may live on as part of the stealth skin of an F-35 Raptor

(rare earth ore)