Safety of mobile recycling kiosks questioned
Monday, May 21, 2012 - 11:20:37
A few months ago it was announced that a number of companies were working on kiosks designed to allow people to recycle their old mobile phones, tablets and other electronic devices in public.
By allowing consumers to compare prices for mobile recycling from various providers, the kiosks seemed like another convenient way to encourage more people to properly disposed of unwanted gadgets.
However, some law enforcement authorities in the US are expressing concern at the idea of the kiosks being rolled out on a widespread basis.
According to Los Angeles police captain, Horace Frank, officers believe that the presence of mobile recycling kiosks might encourage criminals to steal phones in order to effectively launder them via the receptacles and make a quick buck.
A spokesperson for EcoATM, the company that is creating most of these new kiosks, said that there was no need for concern as the technology has built in checks, to make sure that stolen phones cannot be sold.
This mainly relies on the kiosk requiring that the seller is captured on camera with their driving licence and that a fingerprint is taken by the machine before the transaction can be completed.
Mr Frank was dissatisfied with these arguments, saying that criminals could use fake driving licenses to fool the kiosks.
Mobile phones are attractive targets for theft regardless of the presence of recycling kiosks that exchange old handsets for cash.
However, it is possible to see both sides of the argument as valid points in this case and it will be interesting to see whether EcoATM makes any changes to its design as a result.
In the UK, anyone with an old mobile phone can easily recycle it in return for some cash through various reputable companies online. Many will even cover the cost of postage, so there is no expense to be borne by the customer.
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