2GB, 3AW, 4BC, 5AA, 6PR Radio 25 July 2026

 

ATA Head of Sustainability and Social Impact for Mobile Muster, Helen Maisano interview with Charlie Brown, Life & Technology on 2GB, 3AW, 4BC, 5AA, 6PR • Jul 25, 2026, 8:18 AM • Item ID: R00136047631

Summary

In a discussion on electronic waste management, Helen Maisano, ATA Head of Sustainability and Social Impact for Mobile Muster, emphasises the importance of properly recycling tech devices rather than hoarding them. The Mobile Muster program, which has operated for 28 years, accepts not only phones but also chargers, cables, modems, smart watches, and speakers for environmentally sound recycling. Ms Maisano assured listeners that data security is maintained through factory reset options or complete destruction during recycling, as devices are dismantled and materials recovered without resale or refurbishment.

Charlie Brown, Host of Life & Technology: …And it’s a very relevant question because the tech companies want us to turn over our tech products faster. They make more money that way, obviously. But at the same time, when we are using these products and we move to something better, usually we get a better experience. Most of the time we do. That’s why we spend our money. But getting rid of, or ensuring correct management of, the devices that we have should be top of mind during that process as well. Today, I thought we’d have a chat with Helen Massano, who is Head of Sustainability and Social Impact for Mobile Muster, just to find out a bit more about what we can be doing as part of that process. Good morning, Helen.

Helen Maisano, Mobile Muster: Good morning and good morning to all your listeners.

Charlie Brown, Host of Life & Technology: Yeah, thanks for coming on the programme Helen. Mobile Muster’s been in this space for a long time – many, many years now. Is it just phones that you look after or are there other tech devices as well that are part of what manage and support?

Helen Maisano, Mobile Muster: Yes, there definitely is a broader range of things that can be recycled through the Mobile Muster programme. And, as you say, Mobile Muster’s been around for a long time, in fact, 28 years. And, you know, we’re globally recognised and we operate to a very high environmental standard. People can recycle not just their phones but their chargers, their cables, their accessories and if you go into a Voda or Optus store, people can bring in their modems, their home phones, their smart watches, streaming devices, smart speakers. So, there is a range of items that can be recycled. And we all know everyone has the ‘just-in-case’ drawer. And that just-in-case drawer is full of things that, you know, mobile phones that will never get reused again. And your old phone can actually become part of something new.

Charlie Brown, Host of Life & Technology: And I have quite…I’ve actually got a just-in-case cupboard, Helen. It’s quite sizable being in this job that I have. There is literally quite a lot of product in there. And, I do my best to pass things on. You know, I give things away to charities and community groups and all those kinds of things where it’s still working, but when it has achieved what I consider end of life, it is to an organisation like Mobile Muster. For listeners who are hearing this and they have these kinds of products and they want to reduce their just-in-case drawer size, what is the process that they should be thinking about to ensure that the data, that personal information that is collected on this device over many years of use, is kept safe and does not transfer onto an external party?

Helen Maisano, Mobile Muster: Yes, well, I mean data and people’s data is one of the biggest things that people are worried about. You know, what will happen with my data? So, with Mobile Muster, we encourage people to back up their information, do a factory reset of their phone. But if they can’t do that, if the phone is so old and they can’t do the factory reset, it really doesn’t matter. Their data remains safe on the phone because it’s all destroyed during the recycling process. We don’t resell the phones, we don’t refurbish them, it is a full recycling service and so they can rest assured that their data remains very safe. And around 60 per cent of Australians do worry about that, if someone will access their information. So, I really encourage your listeners to be assured that if they recycle through Mobile Muster, their data will remain safe. So, phones are dismantled at a facility in Sydney. Materials are separated, because your phone has a number of materials which are very precious. And those items can be reused and made into other things.

Charlie Brown, Host of Life & Technology: And Helen, at the moment, the cost of those components is going through the roof at the factory level for new components. So, I imagine these reused or recyclable or re-enabled, if you like, components are even more in value right now.

Helen Maisano, Mobile Muster: That’s correct. But people can be rest assured that we don’t, you know, the programme Mobile Muster is a voluntary program. It’s government accredited. We don’t make any profit. It’s not commercially driven. The program runs because of the support we get from the mobile manufacturers and some of our carriers like Vodafone and Optus, so everything that is extracted is used into making something else – and then the rest of it gets fully destroyed.

Charlie Brown, Host of Life & Technology: Very good, Helen. Thank you for coming on and talking to us about the process. I think, especially with phones, I mean I don’t know if a tech device would probably carry more personal information than a mobile phone – but you mentioned phones, tablets and even routers and those kinds of things…so we do appreciate you coming on and talking to us about what’s going on. Details in the newsletter: lifeandtechnology.com.au – of Mobile Muster and a few other points of interest around recycling devices as well. Helen, thanks for your time.

Helen Maisano, Mobile Muster: My pleasure. Thank you.

Back-announcement by producer: Helen Maisano, Head of Sustainability and Social Impact, Mobile Muster. Sounds like a good idea. Beats going into landfill.

ENDS