Some let their old, unused mobile phones gather dust, while others throw them away. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a smarter alternative.

As part of its e-Cycling partnership with mobile phone manufacturers, retailers, and service providers, the EPA is encouraging phone recycling through store returns, drop-offs, and online trade-ins. With only ten percent of phones currently being recycled, the program could make a big difference.

While one million recycled phones can recover 75 pounds of gold, 772 pounds of silver, 33 pounds of palladium, and 35,274 pounds of copper, the energy saved from recycling a single phone can power a laptop for 44 hours. For information about this program, visit epa.gov/cellphones.