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Did you know that electronic waste is fastest growing waste stream globally? This is due to both the shortened lifespan of our electronic devices and societies demands for the newest high-tech products. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that only 15 to 20 percent of e-waste is recycled, the rest of these electronics go directly into landfills, incinerators and are illegally exported to developing countries.

Common practice is to use an electronic device for a while and discard it once the new model comes out. Unfortunately, if the new model or device has a different charging port it renders your old collection of charging cables virtually useless. So what do you do when it&#;s time to clean out the drawer full of old, no longer relevant cables?

Retail Drop-Off

One of the easiest ways to recycle old chargers and cables is by taking a trip to your local Best Buy. Every Best Buy in the US has a kiosk for recycling electronics just inside the door. According to the Best Buy website, they accept &#;rechargeable batteries, wires, cords, cables and plastic bags.&#; Check out their website to see if Best Buy will accept what you want to recycle.

Recycle

When removed from the sheath, pure copper wire can be sold for salvage. It likely won&#;t be worth a fortune, but you can at least make some cash off old cables that you&#;re never going to use again. Any metal recycling center will accept your copper-cored wires, and will likely accept most of your small electronics, in addition to other wires and cables. You can also sell or recycle your used electronics.

Give to a Friend or a Family Member

Not everyone quickly upgrades computers or other electronics. So before discarding a giant collection of cables and chargers, make sure to ask your friends and family members if they might be able to use them. Additionally, with the exception of some Apple products, most home entertainment cords and cables can be used with other devices. So be sure to check their functionality before donating them.

Donate to STEM programs

Schools and many non-profits have STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) programs or projects that often use older technology. Your old cable cords, chargers and wires very well may not be so outdated for educational purposes. These programs appreciate electronic donations even if all you have is the odd power cord or old Ethernet cable that wasn&#;t quite long enough.

Learn what to do with your old cellphone here. And here&#;s what to do with your old computer.

The company is the world’s best cable recycling machinery supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

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How to make money from cable scrap

  Wednesday, 21 June

Do you have a load of old cables lying around? Selling them to a scrap metal recycling centre is a quick and easy way to make money. Copper wires are key constituents of cabling, and non-ferrous metals like copper are always in high demand.

What types of metal are in cables?

Household scrap metal doesn&#;t come much more common than cable. Every mains electrical device will have at least one cable, if not two. Most households will have built up quite a collection, from ethernet cables to HDMI cables and socket cables.

Instead of hoarding them in the hope that they may be of use at some point in the future, why not cash in on them? You might be surprised by how much your cables are worth.

Copper is the most common metal found in electrical cables, being one of the most conductive metals. Take a cable apart and you will find it consists of many strands of copper wire interwoven.

Plus, there is more copper being recycled than new copper being mined, so selling your scrap cable is the green thing to do.

How are copper wires categorised?

Copper wire is divided into the following categories:

• 70%: single core cable 5-8mm in diameter
• 50-60%: the kind of wire found in most common electrics
• 45%: cable wire from household appliances and extension leads
• 25%: steel wire armoured cable

There is also a copper grading system. Find out more about #1 copper and #2 copper.

What shall I do with my scrap cable before I sell it?

Separate the cable scrap you have been able to collect into different metals. This will make it easier for a scrap dealer to grade it and give you a price. It is a good idea to &#;clean&#; the cable too. By this we mean getting rid of any paint or brass attachments. Copper that is free of paint or brass will receive a higher grading and a higher price.

Stripped wire is also more profitable, so if you have the time, strip the insulation from your cable. You can use a wire stripping tool or do it by hand. Make sure you have enough cable to justify selling it. Scrap metal recycling centres like ASM will only quote on a minimum amount of scrap metal.

Selling cable scrap metal to ASM

If you have a significant quantity of scrap metal to sell, get in touch with an ASM recycling centre. We have been specialists in scrap metal recycling for over 50 years, so know how to get you the best price possible. Copper is one of the metals we recycle most, so we see a lot of cable! We will grade the cable scrap we receive and use digital scales to give you the most accurate weight and value.

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For more information, please visit waste tire recycling equipment manufacture.