With global e-waste reaching 62 million metric tons in 2022, individuals can extend the life of old electrical wires and cables through various recycling and reuse methods. Programs from retailers, manufacturers, and local facilities offer convenient ways to prevent these items from entering landfills. Valuable metals like copper and aluminum in cables contribute to resource recovery worth billions annually.
The United Nations’ Global E-waste Monitor 2024 reports that electronic waste hit a record 62 million metric tons worldwide in 2022, up 82% from 2010, with projections reaching 82 million tons by 2030. In the United States, about 8 million tons of e-waste are discarded each year, including significant amounts of wires, cables, and cords from home wiring, charging devices, and connections like USB, HDMI, and Ethernet.
These materials pose environmental risks if landfilled. Their plastic coatings, often polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), can release contaminants such as lead and dioxins under heat or other conditions. Classified as “tanglers” by recyclers, cords can damage sorting equipment and cause injuries, so they should not enter curbside bins.
Retailers provide accessible drop-off points. Best Buy, the largest U.S. e-waste collector, has recycled over 2.7 billion pounds since 2009 and accepts wires, cords, and cables free at in-store kiosks, with limits varying by state. Staples offers free recycling for cables through e-Stewards-certified partners, though some stores have closed. Office Depot sells recycling boxes starting at $18.29 for processing cables and other electronics.
Mail-in services include Best Buy’s boxes with prepaid shipping ($22.99 for small) and Homeboy Electronics Recycling kits, which support job training for formerly incarcerated people via R2-certified processing. Waste Management provides area-specific mail-in options.
Manufacturers like Apple offer free recycling of cables at stores or via mail, using robots to recover materials such as aluminum and rare-earth elements. Dell’s Reconnect program with Goodwill has handled over 635 million pounds since 2004, accepting any brand’s cables at 2,000+ locations or through mail-back.
Other avenues include selling on platforms like Craigslist or eBay, scrapping for copper (valued at $8 billion recycled in the U.S. in 2021), reusing compatible cables like USB-C, donating to schools or charities, or using local e-waste events. States like Washington and California have dedicated programs. Globally, e-waste metals are worth $91 billion yearly, but less than a quarter is recycled, highlighting the impact of individual actions.