Electrical Cords and Cables Illegal in Garbage/Recycling & Drains Recycle with E-Waste Cords and cables contain metals like copper and cannot be placed in a garbage or recycling bin. Bare Electrical Wiring Is Recycled as Scrap Metal If you have bare electrical wiring, you can recycle it as scrap metal. Find out how to recycle scrap metal. Dangerous to Put in the Recycling It is extremely important that you never recycle cables with other household recyclables. Long, stringy items, like holiday lights, old wires, and coat hangers, not only wreak havoc on equipment, but they’re also a safety hazard to employees. Ways to Reuse Use Cables for More Than One Device Sometimes, phone and computer chargers can be reused for a different device than the one they came with. So before buying a new charger, see if you have any old ones that will fit. Did You Know? Eco-Friendly Cables There are actually “green” cables. In 2012, Apple and Volex, its power and USB cable supplier, announced that they would be making halogen-free power cables that are less toxic for the environment when they’re disposed of. The Problem of E-Waste E-waste is a dangerous business in India and China, where e-waste recycling plants release toxic chemicals into the air and cause health problems for recycling workers. To learn more about e-waste, check out The Story of Stuff Project.