Cash-for-phone kiosks coming to Philly
City Council regulates cellphone-buyback machines with new measures in place to thwart theft.
THE NOTION of swapping a used cellphone for instant cash at a kiosk attracts a lot of people, but sometimes for the wrong reasons.
Cellphone-buyback machines were a subject of controversy last year when City Council tried for an outright ban. Critics said the machines incentivized cellphone thieves looking for a quick buck. The legislation stalled in committee and was never approved.
But Council passed a bill Thursday that reached a compromise.
Instead of barring these types of machines - which recycle handheld electronic devices and fork over cash in exchange - the city now will allow installation of kiosks, but the placement of each must be approved by Council.
"Last year, we discovered that Philadelphia has the highest lost or stolen phone rate in the nation, which was alarming," said Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, primary sponsor of the bill.
"After a year, we've been able to work out a reasonable compromise."
Council scrapped the proposed ban Thursday, with the passage of an amended version of Brown's bill that makes the kiosk company jump through hoops before any more machines go up.
According to ecoATM, the manufacturer, just two machines exist in the area - in the Philadelphia Mills mall (formerly Franklin Mills) and in the Cedarbrook Mall in Wyncote.
Kevin Feeley, spokesman for ecoATM, says that although the company has no plans for expansion in Philly, he's happy with the outcome.
"These machines provide a safe way to recycle phones that is also environmentally positive," he said.
"E-waste - electronic waste - is probably the fastest-growing waste stream in the country."
Feeley said ecoATM has been working with law-enforcement agencies to identify cellphone thieves. During an eight-minute transaction, the machine takes the user's picture, requires a thumbprint scan for processing, and reads whether the phone is stolen and reports it to police.
"For us, this is about educating people about the right steps to take if you really want to recycle safely," Feeley said.