Search for 'mobile phone recycling' on the Internet and you get a range of tantalising offers — 'trade in your old mobile for cash now', they say. Incredibly, around 1,712 mobile phones are replaced every hour in the UK alone. This means that about 428kg of potentially harmful landfill is created every 60 minutes.

By recycling your unwanted handset, you could be providing affordable communications to those who need it most – people in developing countries. But it can be a minefield for those who want to do their bit for the environment.

First, if your phone cannot be reused, it could be exported by an unscrupulous operator to a country where they do not follow European rules on disposal of hazardous substances.

Second, your mobile may contain personal data such as other people's private phone numbers, or even bank details.

Sarah Bond, of Oxfordshire-based recycling company Regenersis said: “We conducted a random sample of 2,000 phones that we received and more than 90 per cent contained some sort of personal data. It was not just contact numbers, there were calendar entries and even bank details.”

She added: “Identity theft is rife, and the last thing you want is for an unscrupulous person to get their hands on private information.”

With 15 million mobiles bought each year in the UK, and owners constantly wanting to update to the latest model, old handsets are piling up.

Regenersis runs 11 repair and recycling centres across Europe, and also handles after-sales service for many of the biggest phone manufacturers, working with networks such as Vodafone, Orange and O2.

Of the 300,000 handsets it receives each month, about 80 per cent are refurbished and sent to developing countries to be re-sold as affordable mobiles. Another 20 per cent is not reusable and sent for safe recycling.

Ms Bond said: “We go to great pains to clear all the data off before the product is re-used — re-use is obviously the best outcome, environmentally.

“If a phone has a broken LCD screen, for example we would recycle the broken LCD display and take take a screen from another handset of the same network to cannabalise it. You then get a working mobile phone to sell.”

If the phone can not be reused, batteries are sent to a specialist recycler where nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride and lithium go for safe recycling.

Valuable metals like gold, platinum, silver and copper are extracted using a process that generates almost zero emissions. Even the plastic from phone chargers can be reused to make things like traffic cones and buckets.

She added: “Some people forget to remove the Sim card and we have a supervised, secure destruction process so it can't be re-used.”

Regenersis, valued by the City at £25m, claims to be the only online mobile phone recycling website that holds the four key licenses from the Environment Agency.

As well as phones, it refurbishes or recycles other equipment such as laptops, MP3s and printer. It would like tougher standards to be enforced, with a crackdown on rogue operators.

Managing director Mark Franklin said: “The reuse and recycling market is becoming more crowded and we want to ensure that the consumer, when making a choice of recyclers, is making an informed and responsible decision.

“By implementing these standards, we protect the consumer by removing all data from the devices received. We protect the markets to which our products are resold, by only remarketing quality products and we protect the environment by ensuring nothing goes to landfill.”

Last year, Regenersis changed its name from Fonebak after taking over rival companies. But now it has resuscitated the old name to help the BBC’s Children In Need appeal.

Ms Bond said: “It is the fifth year we have done this and we have raised £1m to date. Last year we made £67,000 for Children In Need and we are hoping to get at least as much this year.

“Because of the recession we are offering people the chance to find out the value of their handset and they can either give 100 per cent to charity, or they can choose to donate some of the value and receive cash themselves."

Regenersis estimates an astonishing 90 million mobile phones are sitting in drawers and toy boxes around the country.

“Even if you have an old brick that's gathering dust, we will give 10p to the BBC appeal,” said Ms Bond.

The website, www.fonebak.com, allows you to value your old phoneset, based on its model, make and condition. Once you have calculated its value, you are given the option of donating all or a percentage of the sale straight to Children In Need.

To sell your phone, you need to send the handset (via freepost) to Fonebak.

Children In Need, which raises money for children and young people across the UK, is on the BBC tomorrow, but you can continue to donate to the charity via Fonebak until the end of the year.

Name: Regenersis Established: 2002 as Fonebak Managing director: Mark FranklinNumber of staff: 1,800 worldwide, with 12-15 at Eynsham Annual turnover: £98.3m Contact: 01865 471900, E-mail: enquiries@regenersis.com Web: (mobile phone recycling) www.fonebak.com www.regenersis.com