Teletouch Hawk Electronics Div. Launches "Go Green with Hawk" Cellphone Recycling Program at 2008 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial PGA Tour Golf Tournament

Business Wire,  May 20, 2008  

• E-mail
• Print
• Link

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Teletouch Communications, Inc. (Pink Sheets: TLLE), a leading U.S. cellular, two-way radio, mobile electronics and related services provider, today announced that the Company, through its Hawk Electronics consumer electronics retail division, is launching a new cellphone recycling and disposal program at the upcoming 2008 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial PGA TOUR Golf Tournament, being held May 19-25 at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

In conjunction with Colonial staff and PGA TOUR officials, spectators will be encouraged to bring their old, unused, and in many cases, no-longer-working cellphones to specially designed recycling bins at each of the major visitor entrances to the Colonial (see renderings attached). Hawk Electronics staff members will empty them each day, and return to the Company's 50,000sf warehouse and office facility in Haltom City, Texas (just outside of downtown Ft. Worth) for proper disposal.

Peter Ripa, Director of the 2008 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial PGA TOUR Golf Tournament said, "The PGA TOUR has asked all tournaments to be more 'Green.' When we approached our wireless communications sponsor, Hawk Electronics with the idea to use our event to recycle old, used cellphones, we were delighted to learn that they were just getting ready to launch their own recycling program, and would accelerate their launch date to coincide with the start of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. We fully support this program, and doing our part to help keep e-waste out of our environment."

"As with many electronics, cellular handsets contain various heavy metals and other toxic materials," stated T. A. "Kip" Hyde, Jr., President and Chief Operating Officer of Teletouch, and CEO of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Progressive Concepts, Inc. dba Hawk Electronics. "Having personally found over a dozen no-longer-used handsets in my home, and knowing how detrimental they would be in a landfill, I needed to find an easy, yet environmentally friendly disposal solution. As I started to research what options were available, I was staggered by the sheer size and scope of the problem, both nationally and worldwide. So, over the last two months, our team at Hawk has put together new processes and procedures to allow our customers and others with old handsets to bring them to any Hawk location in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex for recycling and disposal. Over time, we hope to add other non-Hawk, but eco-friendly retail locations, and take a leadership position in all of the markets we serve."

Hyde continued, "To kick-off this new green program, we are excited to be able to partner with the Colonial to generate immediate consumer awareness, and provide an easy recycling point for the over 40,000 to 60,000 daily spectators, staff and media visitors. After the tournament is over, Hawk will continue to build program awareness through a comprehensive outdoor (billboard) campaign, with support through other mass media including radio, TV, newspaper and Internet. For media purposes, our tagline is, 'Hawk - Saving the Planet, One Cellphone at a Time.' All Hawk Electronics stores will be equipped with recycling stations after Memorial Day, open to customers from all carriers."

U.S.- Cellphone e-Waste Quick Facts* below:

Fact: More than 220 million Americans have cellphones;

Fact: Average use of a cellphone is 18 months;

Fact: Approx. 130 million cellphones are thrown away each year, creating an est. 65,000 tons of e-waste;

Fact: Cellphones contain metals, plastics, chemicals and other potentially hazardous materials (lead and mercury) that should be kept out of landfills;

Bottomline: Cellphones contain many toxic materials that pollute the environment and threaten human health. When recycled responsibly, many of the metals and other materials can be put back into circulation, further helping to protect the planet.

About Teletouch Communications

For more than 40 years, Teletouch has offered a comprehensive suite of telecommunications products and services including cellular, two-way radio, GPS-telemetry, wireless messaging and public safety/emergency response vehicle products and services throughout the U.S. Teletouch's wholly-owned subsidiary, Progressive Concepts, Inc. (PCI), is a leading provider of AT&T Mobility[R] services (voice, data, entertainment), as well as other mobile, portable and personal electronics products and services to individuals, businesses and government agencies. PCI operates a chain of retail stores and sells under the "Hawk Electronics" brand; through Hawk-branded sub-agents; its own direct sales force and through the Internet at various sites including www.hawkelectronics.com and www.hawkexpress.com among others. PCI also operates a national wholesale distribution business, known as PCI Wholesale, which serves smaller cellular and automotive retailers, car dealers and rural cellular carriers throughout the country; Dealers and Retailers see www.pciwholesale.com. Additional information on Teletouch's two-way radio group, and its Emergency Vehicle Products group can be found at www.teletouchevp.com. Teletouch's common stock is traded Over-The-Counter on the Pink Sheets electronic exchange under stock symbol: TLLE. Information about Teletouch can be found at http://www.teletouch.com.