There are more mobile phones than people in the UK, which means a lot of unused handsets are lurking in people's homes and places of work.

On top of this pile it is estimated that more than 19 million people are walking around with a phone that is broken -of these 21.7% have a cracked screen, the battery needs replacing in another 16%, and 10% report that they are having problems charging their smart phone.

Brand Lab can help. Not only do we repair phones but we also do glass recycling for all iPhone and Samsung models - plus we buy damaged screens.

The fact is that if you are one of the people with an unused or broken phone you could be helping the environment - and possibly earning some extra cash - by recycling your mobile phone.

All mobile devices have substances which can severely harm the environment - or people - if these problem phones are disposed of in an incorrect way. Some contain mercury and lead which are linked to triggering cancer in humans and are dangerous if released into the environment without the proper safeguards.

Granted, modern handsets are less harmful than older devices, but all of them risk damaging the world if disposed of irresponsibly.

Brand Lab can handle the process of recycling on your behalf. Before you give us your old phone there are things you should do to protect yourself and your data.

Remove Your SIM Card

SIMs tend to contain personal information including addresses and phone numbers as well as text messages. It's important to remove your SIM before you recycle a phone. You'll probably need the SIM card for your new phone anyway.

If and when you do decide to dispose of any old SIM cards, you need to cut through the metal chip before you dispense with it away to make sure nobody else gets their hands on your valuable personal details.

Remove Any Memory Cards

A lot of people with modern devices use Micro SD cards to store their photos, videos and downloads. It's best practice to remove the memory card before recycling.

Do a Factory Reset

Most of us use our smart phones to retain personal information. The data may well contain login information for email and social media accounts, plus the web browser will probably retain our browsing history. A factory reset removes all this personal information, so don't forget to do it.

Remove any PIN Lock

It's helpful if remove any PIN code or lock screen you set up when you recycle so others can use the device in future.

If you have any questions about recycling your old phones then contact Brand Lab. We will be pleased to help and advise.