What to Do With All the Cables and Cords You Have Accumulated
In the Wall Street Journal, writer Katherine Bindley asked us to admit one thing: somewhere in the back of the closet or in the attic, we all have a box of unused cords and cables. Their individual lifelong purpose remains unclear, but you hold on to them for fear that one day you might need that mysterious white cable to fix your internet connection, or plug in your TV, or, uh, decide some other problem. a very important unexpected technical problem at home.
Well, we’re here to tell you that it’s finally time to drop the box once and for all. If you haven’t used a cord or cable in the past two years, you probably never need one. In fact, if you have any wires left over from the previous move, this is an even better excuse to discard them; Most likely, you have completely forgotten their purpose, and if you do not need during the transition period, they will never be used, period.
But then what to do with this box of cables that you have assembled so carefully over the years? Well, first of all, don’t throw it in the trash can. It is e-waste, some of which contains hazardous chemicals such as lead or mercury that can end up in landfills and water sources. You also shouldn’t be throwing them in the blue bin so quickly; most likely your local roadside recycling program will not accept them.
Instead, you have many alternative disposal options when it comes to disposing of your inventory of cables. First, as Bindley recommends, you can leave any cords or wires at a kiosk near most Best Buy stores and they will recycle them on your behalf. Alternatively, you can use the Earth911 locator finder to find nearby electronic waste recyclers that can strip the metal components of your cables for recycling.
Some Goodwill stores will also accept these wires as donations in case you want your cable box to be useful. (Again, use the Earth911 locator to find a Goodwill store near you.) Finally, you can find the nearest STEM program and contact them to see if they will accept your wires. Most likely, they can even accept old outdated wires for educational purposes, according to CNET .
And if you’re wondering how to dispose of the rest of your e-waste, such as used phones or laptops, here’s our guide to the matter.