Recession-proof charity income
Howard Lake | 19 February 2009 | News
Mobile phone recycling is apparently under threat as a result of the recession, but cartridge recycling could make up the difference, argues Emma Corry, from the Each One Counts campaign.
Already some charities report diving income from mobiles recycling as hard-pressed UK citizens are being encouraged to trade their old mobile for cash by heavy TV and prominent media advertising.
The main items charity schemes collect to raise money are mobile phones and inkjet printer cartridges. While mobile phones have a higher value, at around £3 each, they are usually changed only once every 18 months, perhaps raising £2 to £3 on average per year. Now fewer mobiles may be donated to charities. On the other hand charities get a steady income stream by collecting higher-usage cartridges. Typically users will have 3 or 4 empty cartridges a year, worth £3 to £4. The Each One Counts online recycling scheme makes it simple for charities of any size to ask their supporters to recycle both cartridges and mobiles in one easy-to-use system.
Mobile phone recycling may be further depressed this year as fewer people will probably buy a new phone so fewer will be available for recycling (Nokia reportedly predicts 10% fall in mobile phone sales in 2009). Fortunately, the cartridge market is forecast to remain buoyant according to Environmental Business Products, the company that runs Each One Counts.
“Market leading Pan-European retail and mail order partners are predicting substantial growth in sales of their private label remanufactured inkjet cartridges supplied by EBP, despite the challenging outlook”, comments Aleem Hosein, EBP’s Managing Director. Printing is a daily essential for many people, so inkjet use will remain high. Demand for remanufactured cartridges (the end product of cartridge recycling) could increase in 2009 because they save money over printer-manufacturer brands. This trend is in line with the outlook for most retailer-branded consumer goods.
So cartridge recycling could offer a more recession-proof way for charities to add extra income. It is free both to charities and their supporters, and recycling helps the environment at the same time. This is the perfect time for charities to join Each One Counts. To find out how, contact Emma Corry on 0800 435576, or email em********@ea***********.uk.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.