LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Recycle your cellphone and help save gorillas. It’s a win-win that is the business model for Louisville-based company, Eco-Cell.

“It's not strictly making money,” said the company’s owner, Eric Ronay. “Intellectually and emotionally, we need way more than that to be interested in what we do as a business.”

Eco-cell has cellphone recycling drop boxes at over 40 zoos across the United States, including a box at The Louisville Zoo, so people can drop any cellphone they no longer use. Eco-Cell partnered with zoos and other conservation organizations because coltan in cellphones is mined in gorilla habitats.

“If they recycle those minerals from those cell phones they don’t have to go out into the gorillas habitats and mine for those materials there,” explained Louisville Zookeeper, Alexis Williamson.

The company re-sells approximately 10 percent of phones. A portion of each phone’s value goes back to the zoos and other partner organizations, such as the Jane Goodall Institute, to help with their conservation efforts.

The other 90 percent of phones are recycled for other minerals like gold. That also helps the environment because that means less mining elsewhere. Even the most ancient cellphones have value.

“Right now it's 25 cents for the most ancient, waterlogged, toilet dropped, car-run-over cellphone that you could possibly imagine,” said Ronay.

The cellphone recycling company also takes other electronics, from laptops to tablets. If there isn’t a participating zoo or organization near you, Ronay recommends to recycle cellphones at Best Buy or Target. Eco-Cell also has a recycling partnership with CREDO mobile.

Eco-Cell estimates nearly a million phones have been recycled or re-sold since the company was founded in 2003. For more information and all partnerships, visit eco-cell.com.