• Vodafone Spain has recycled and reused over 130 tonnes of mobile telephone handsets since 2001. In the 2007-2008 financial year, over 100,000 mobile telephones have already been collected.
• The Vodafone Reuse and Recycling Plan provides for the collection of obsolete mobile telephones which, depending on their condition and characteristics, can either be reused in developing countries facilitating their access to mobile telephony, or recycled, enabling the recovery of raw materials with the resulting environmental benefit
• By way of compensation for handing over their obsolete mobile, customers obtain extra points which are credited to their Points Programme account

Madrid, 20th February 2008.- Vodafone Spain has reused and recycled over 130 tonnes of mobile telephone handsets since 2001. In the 2007-2008 financial year, over 100,000 mobile telephones have already been collected.

Vodafone is committed to developing systems to facilitate the collection and most appropriate treatment of unused mobile telephones. As such, it participates in the Tragamóvil initiative promoted by ASIMELEC (Multisectorial Association of Spanish Electronics and Communications Companies), an action that has been complemented by the launch of its Reuse and Recycling Plan. The objective of this Plan is that obsolete mobile telephones can be reused or recycled, obtaining social and environmental benefits. The Vodafone Reuse and Recycling Plan is contained in the framework of its Corporate Responsibility Programme (www.vodafone.es/responsabilidad).

Obsolete mobile telephones that still work can be reused, once they have been adapted, in developing countries, facilitating access to mobile telephony in these countries at a lower cost, with the associated social benefit. Meanwhile, the telephones that no longer work can be recycled, recovering the raw materials, with the associated resource saving in the manufacturing of new equipment, and significant environmental benefits.

Vodafone has designed its Reuse and Recycling Plan as a social and environmental solution; in addition to mobile telephones, batteries, chargers and telephone accessories are accepted. Furthermore, by way of compensation for handing over their obsolete mobile, Vodafone is offering customers extra points which are credited to their Customer Points Programme account.

What are the advantages of this Plan?

• It benefits customers because it offers them somewhere to deposit the telephones that they no longer use, guaranteeing that their telephones will be reused or recycled in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. Furthermore, it offers them points for their loyalty programme
• It benefits the environment because it prevents the negative impact that could be caused if the telephones were deposited directly in the environment and enables the recycling of materials in the manufacturing of new equipment
• It is beneficial to developing countries because it facilitates cheaper access to mobile telephony

What happens to the telephones after they are collected?

Once the mobile telephones reach the processing facility, they are processed as follows in order to minimise the environmental impact:

1. Reutilization: this is the top priority since by reusing the product its life is prolonged , helping to preserve earth’s resources. The telephones and accessories are examined and updated before sending them to countries in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa

2. Reuse of components: The components of damaged telephones are recovered for use as spare parts.

3. Recycling of materials: The telephones which are seriously damaged are sent for recycling and undergo a process by which materials are recovered and used for other manufacturing processes. Some recycling examples: mobile telephones contain small amounts of platinum, gold, silver and copper which are extracted and reused in jewellery, the manufacturing of copper pipes or to manufacture new mobile telephones; the nickel obtained from batteries can, for example, be used to manufacture stainless steel saucepans; mixed plastics (those containing metals and plastics) are sent to a company in Sweden which specialises in recycling them; other plastics undergo a granulation process and are used to manufacture traffic cones and bumpers, etc.

The composition obtained from recycling mobile telephones usually contains approximately:

• 60% plastics
• >20% metals
• 16% ceramic materials
• <1% precious metals

For further information, please contact:

Vodafone Spain
Corporate Communications Department
Tel. 607 133 455
gabinetedeprensa@corp.vodafone.es