Australians upgrade their smartphones roughly every two to three years, and tablets follow a similar cycle. That means millions of old mobile devices accumulate in drawers, cupboards, and office storage rooms every year. Research suggests that Australian households are hoarding an estimated 25 million unused phones at any given time, and that figure keeps growing.
Whether your old phone has a cracked screen, a dying battery, or simply cannot keep up with modern apps, it does not belong in a drawer and it definitely does not belong in the bin. Here is how to handle old smartphones and tablets the right way.
Why Mobile Devices Need Proper Disposal
Smartphones and tablets are small, but they are packed with materials that matter. A typical smartphone contains over 60 different elements, including copper, gold, silver, palladium, cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements like neodymium and dysprosium. Many of these materials are classified as critical minerals because global supply is limited and demand is rising.
On the hazardous side, mobile devices contain lithium-ion batteries that pose fire risks in waste streams, and circuit boards with lead solder and brominated flame retardants. In Victoria, smartphones and tablets fall under the e-waste landfill ban that has been in effect since 1 July 2019.
Step 1: Back Up Everything
Before you do anything with your old device, make sure all your data is safely transferred. For iPhones and iPads, use iCloud backup or connect to a computer and back up through Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows). For Android devices, use Google’s built-in backup service or the manufacturer’s backup tool (Samsung Smart Switch, for example).
Do not forget about data that might not be included in automatic backups: photos stored only on the device, app-specific data, authentication app tokens (like Google Authenticator or Authy), and any files saved locally rather than in cloud storage.
Step 2: Deauthorise and Sign Out
Remove your accounts from the device before wiping it. This is particularly important for Apple devices, where Activation Lock tied to your Apple ID will prevent anyone else from setting up the device if you do not remove it first. Go to Settings, tap your name, scroll down, and tap “Sign Out.”
For Android devices, remove your Google account and any other accounts linked to the device. If your phone has a Samsung account, remove that too. Disable any device protection features like “Find My Device” that could lock the phone after a factory reset.
Step 3: Securely Wipe the Device
Modern smartphones and tablets use hardware encryption by default, which makes factory resets significantly more effective than they are on traditional computers. When you perform a factory reset on an encrypted device, the encryption keys are destroyed, rendering the stored data unreadable even if someone were to attempt recovery.
For iPhones/iPads: Go to Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, then Erase All Content and Settings. This destroys the encryption keys and returns the device to factory state.
For Android devices: Make sure encryption is enabled first (it should be by default on any device running Android 6.0 or later). Then go to Settings, General Management (or System), Reset, and Factory Data Reset.
For business devices that have stored sensitive data, or if you want extra assurance, a certified mobile data destruction service can provide formal certification that data has been irrecoverably destroyed. This is particularly relevant for organisations subject to the Privacy Act or industry-specific regulations.
Step 4: Remove the SIM Card and Memory Card
Pop out the SIM card tray and remove your SIM card. If you are not transferring the number to a new device, contact your carrier about cancelling or porting the number. SIM cards can store contacts and messages on older devices, so either keep the card or destroy it physically.
If your device has a microSD card slot, remove any memory card. SD cards often contain photos, videos, and other personal files. Either securely erase the card for reuse, or physically destroy it if it contained sensitive information.
Your Disposal Options
Trade-In Programs
If your device is relatively recent and in reasonable condition, trade-in programs offer the best return. Apple, Samsung, and most carriers offer trade-in credit toward new purchases. Third-party services like Phonebot and The Ecophone also buy used devices. A two-year-old flagship phone in good condition can still fetch $200 to $500 through trade-in.
Donation
Working smartphones can be donated to organisations that refurbish and redistribute them to people in need. Programs like Mobile Muster (run by the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association) accept phones for recycling, and some charitable organisations accept functional devices for redistribution. Domestic violence support organisations often accept working phones for distribution to people leaving unsafe situations.
Professional Recycling
For devices that are broken, too old for trade-in, or that you simply want disposed of properly, professional e-waste recycling is the answer. Mobile Muster operates free drop-off points at over 3,500 locations across Australia, including most mobile phone retailers. These accept phones, tablets, chargers, and accessories regardless of brand or condition.
Council E-Waste Collection
Local council transfer stations and e-waste collection events also accept mobile devices. This is a convenient option if you are already dropping off other e-waste items.
What Happens to Recycled Phones?
Recycled smartphones go through a surprisingly detailed recovery process. The battery is removed first and sent for specialised lithium-ion recycling. The device is then mechanically shredded and the resulting material is sorted using a combination of magnets, eddy current separators, density sorting, and sometimes optical sorting.
The recovered materials include steel and stainless steel from the frame, copper from wiring and circuit board traces, aluminium from the chassis, glass from the screen, cobalt and lithium from the battery, and precious metals from the circuit board. Facilities that specialise in mobile device recycling can achieve material recovery rates above 90% by weight.
For the full journey of recycled electronics, see our complete guide to what happens to old electronics.
Business Mobile Device Disposal
Organisations with corporate mobile fleets face additional obligations. Every device that has accessed corporate email, cloud services, or internal applications has potentially stored sensitive business data. Mobile Device Management (MDM) platforms can perform remote wipes, but physical verification of destruction is recommended for high-security environments.
Maintain a register of all corporate mobile devices, including serial numbers and IMEI numbers. When devices are decommissioned, record the disposition method and retain certificates of data destruction. This documentation is essential for compliance with the Privacy Act and any industry-specific regulations your organisation is subject to.
For more on building a comprehensive disposal policy, see our guide to building an IT asset disposal policy.
EWV helps Victorian businesses manage e-waste and IT asset disposal compliantly and sustainably — including collection, certified data destruction, and recycling. Contact us for a free quote.