“Pass it back, bro!” Campaign

KÖVET Association’s mobile phone take-back campaign is linked to the “Pass it Back, Bro” campaign of the Jane Goodall Institute, the Foundation for Africa and the Association for the Protection of Africa. The aim is to collect as many mobile phones as possible that are used in Hungarian households but have fallen into disuse. Used handsets are a treasure trove, including 17 types of metals that can be recovered, such as gold, silver, palladium and copper. The mining of raw materials for mobile phones, such as coltan, threatens the habitat, survival and interests of endangered species in Africa, such as gorillas, bonobos and chimpanzees. We want to curb this process, because if the metals in used mobile phones are recycled in larger quantities, the mining of the ores needed to produce them is expected to decrease.

The campaign will continue in autumn 2024, on International Gorilla Day, 24 September!

Watch the campaign video on KÖVET’s youtube channel!

Our latest campaign launch information webinar can be viewed on our youtube channel (along with recordings of previous webinars)

You can download the presentations of the speakers:

András Kádár (Jane Goodall Institute)
Réka Petróczi (Images from Réka photo studio)
Imola Biró and Dr Tamás Trenyik (KÖVET Association)

The presentations of the 2022 Spring Campaign webinar can be viewed at the links below, and the full video of the event can be watched on KÖVET’s Youtube channel.

You can read about the results of the spring campaign phase here: ‘Pass it Back, Bro!’ – Got an old mobile or two lying in a drawer? – KÖVET Association for Sustainable Economy (kovet.hu)

Questions and answers about the campaign:

How long can I collect from?

You can collect all year round!

From 22 March to 15 June.

Campaign Phase II: 24 September – 22 November

How can you join the campaign?

By registering as a collection point, you agree that your data will be stored and used for record keeping and contact purposes. We will not pass on or sell your data to third parties for commercial, marketing or other uses. We will delete your data upon request.

What do we receive?

Only mobile phones, GPS and tablets that are free of data and not in use can be placed in the collection boxes. Please do not throw any other electronic devices in them!

How can you get a collection box?

In the hope of reuse, all companies and institutions can make their own collection box from a simple cardboard box and stick a poster or sign we send you on the side.

If you wish, you can also obtain the box from the Jane Goodall Institute for a donation. www.janegoodall.hu

Where should I put the collection box?

It is a good idea to place the boxes in a busy area within a building where they are under constant surveillance, such as a reception or a reception desk. The boxes can also be secured and sealed with a quick release fastener.

What right does anyone have to put out a collection box on their premises?

The campaign is called a “used mobile phone take-back campaign”, where the devices are received as a donation and are therefore not considered as waste and are not subject to the Metal Trade Act CXL of 2013.

Who is allowed to dispose of the mobile phones and where exactly are they going?

Companies, organisations, institutions and individuals participating in the campaign can dispose of used handsets in the following ways:

In case of larger quantities, around 15 kilograms or more, the organisation, company or institution located in Budapest should send an e-mail to Inter-Metal Recycling Kft. (http://www.intermetal.hu/) at elektro@intermetal.hu, requesting the collection of the mobiles, but this is not obligatory if they can manage the collection on their own (see point 4). In the e-mail, the name and address of the company, organisation or institution collecting the mobiles, the address of the collection box, the name, e-mail address and telephone number of the contact person should be sent. The dimensions and weight of the box, boxes.

Other companies, non-profit organisations, private individuals or companies with smaller quantities participating in the campaign can send the collected appliances to Inter-Metal Recycling Ltd. by post or courier. Please write “Pass it Back Brother!” on the parcel. 1211 Budapest, Budafoki út 5-7. Bálint Virágh Jr., Tel: +36 30 389 1001, Email: elektro@intermetal.hu (http://www.intermetal.hu/)

It is also possible to use FoxPost services, in which case the parcel should be sent to Budapest, Csepel Plaza, Budapest 1211, II. Rákóczi Ferenc utca 154-170, and the addressee should be Ervin Tihanyi, and the address elektro@intermetal.hue-mail and the phone number +36-30-4885899 should be provided so that the recipient can be notified of the arrival of the parcel.

You can also drop off the devices in person at the Jane Goodall Institute office at 1026 Bp. Szilágyi Erzsébet fasor 41. András Kádár – akadar@janegoodall.hu, +36-30-724-0274.

Please send us the weight of the parcel and the number of mobile phones in the parcel to vezetoseg@janegoodall.hu.

Do I have to declare the mobile phones I recover in my waste declaration?

No, as they are not considered waste, but are donations to the Jane Goodall Institute and are therefore not the property of the company.

What happens to the handsets placed in the collection box?

Used phones without data that are collected in sealed boxes will be taken for recycling by Inter-Metal Recycling Ltd, where they will be processed through a closed chain, meaning that no one will be able to steal the phones or the data they contain.

What are the GDPR clauses?

In the text of the notice to be sent to staff and employees, it should be stipulated that the mobile phones are to be handed over after the deletion of personal data. Handing in the phone is an implicit behaviour that contributes to the afterlife of the phones.

Where are the collection points?

The number of collection points is constantly expanding, you can check the Jane Goodall Institute Facebook page for a map of the ever-expanding list. We welcome photos of all collection points to share on FB.

How legal is the campaign?

The participating companies, the KÖVET Association and the Jane Goodall Institute have signed a tripartite cooperation agreement setting out the tasks and obligations undertaken.

Our professional partner is the EMLA Environmental Management and Law Association.

More information about the campaign:

Zita Gáspár, KÖVET Association, +36 20 3152271, gaspar@kovet.hu

Supporting Local Energy Efficiency Collaborations

The overarching goal of the project is to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions by identifying cost-reduction opportunities in energy, water, and material use, as well as in wastewater and waste reduction. Additionally, it aims to promote the implementation of climate protection-related energy efficiency investments that are not currently financed by financial institutions.

The project seeks to foster regional-level initiatives within sustainable business models that stem from local efforts, generate local benefits, and deliver tangible results for residents, local businesses, and investors alike.

The novelty of this project lies in being the first initiative in Hungary to bring together the private sector, corporate actors, and the banking/financial sector to identify suitable tools and develop a new type of financing structure. This structure will enable contributions to local economic and environmental sustainability.

Project Initiators