Scenic Rim cracks the whip in Mobile Muster

When it comes to rounding up discarded mobile phones, Scenic Rim residents really crack the whip.

Scenic Rim was Queensland's leading regional area, per capita, in the MobileMuster phone recycling program and among the top five mobile recycling councils in the state.

Mayor Greg Christensen said he was pleased to see Scenic Rim residents recognised recently among Australia's top recyclers of electronic waste from mobile phones.

Between May 2016 and April 2017, the Scenic Rim corralled 33.16 kilos of e-waste in the MobileMuster - around 400 handsets and batteries - and a further 12 kilos of mobile phone accessories.

"It's a sign of the times that electronic waste is fast becoming one of the world's greatest waste management challenges," Cr Christensen said.

"However, 98 per cent of materials in mobile phones can be recycled and go to making new products.

"Initiatives such as MobileMuster help to divert e-waste from our landfills, delivering important environmental benefits to our communities."

During the past year, councils across Australia have increased their MobileMuster collections by 25 per cent, recycling more than 4.5 tonnes of mobile phones and components.

But there is still more to be done, with an estimated 23 million unwanted mobiles, including five million which no longer work, awaiting recycling nationwide.

"The value placed by our residents on the on the Scenic Rim's spectacular scenery and healthy environment is articulated in the shared Community Plan vision for the region and expressed through their support for initiatives such as the MobileMuster," Cr Christensen said.