Phone Cases Alternative ways to recycle Trash Consider Donation If the item is still usable, please donate. Visit Athens’ Material Reuse page for ideas. Broken or unusable phone cases should be placed in the trash. They are often made out of mixed materials and can not be recycled. Phone cases made from plant-based material or marketed as compostable should be placed in the trash. Plant-based phone cases are usually made from bioplastic or have coatings that are considered “inorganic” and are not allowed in our compost facilities. Do Not Recycle Phone cases are typically made from polyurethane and cannot be recycled curbside. Alternative Ways to Recycle Close the Loop Recycling Program Close the Loop partners with Case-Mate, Incipio and Survivor to offer phone case recycling (any brand). The Case-Mate program also accepts phone charging accessories. Pela 360 Recycling Program When you buy a new Pela case, the company sends you a mailing envelope so you can return your old case to them (any brand). Pela will make sure your old case gets recycled or upcycled. Nimble Recycling Program If you purchase a Nimble product, you can request a shipping label to send them used or even new cases for recycling. Learn more about Nimble’s recycling program. Ways to Reduce Choose Cases Made From Recycled Plastic Purchasing a phone case made from recycled plastic reduces the amount of new plastic added to the waste stream. Keep Old Cases as Long as Possible It might be tempting to get a new case whenever your preferences change or one gets scratched, but try keeping your old case until it’s no longer functional. Gift Your Case With Your Phone Giving your old phone to someone? Give them your old case too. The longer it stays in use, the better. Ways to Reuse Give Away or Sell Your Case If your phone case is still in good condition, consider selling it or giving it away. Did You Know? 1.5 Billion Phone Cases 1.5 billion phone cases are thrown away each year. That’s a lot of plastic breaking down into microplastics in our landfills.