Every household stores somewhere redundant, tangled USB cables, old chargers, phone cords, or extension cords. Household cables play an indispensable role in everyday life: they ensure the transfer of energy and data between our electronic devices. However, when they become unusable, they often end up in the trash, even though they deserve a better fate.
These redundant everyday objects are not just waste but contain valuable raw materials.
Environmental and Economic Significance
Instead of mining the raw materials in cables again, which involves enormous energy and environmental burdens, recycling discarded cables is a simpler and more sustainable solution. The processed metals can become the raw materials for new products – for example, in the form of pipes, wires, or industrial components. During recycling, less waste goes to landfills, thereby reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
What Types of Household Cables Are There?
The category of household cables is extremely broad. It includes, for example:
- Telephone cables
- USB and LAN cables
- Charger cords for various devices
- Extension cords and power strips
- Old electrical wires left over from DIY projects or home renovations
Household cables, however simple they may seem on the outside, are complex structures. They contain at least two main components: the conductive material, which can be copper or aluminum, and the insulating sheath, which is usually made of plastic. In some cases, additional layers may be attached to these, such as shielding foils or textile coverings.
The conductive materials are valuable metals that can be reused for industrial purposes after recycling. The insulation, although not always recyclable on its own, can be easily separated by mechanical methods and treated separately.
Why Recycle Cables?
The metal inside household cables, especially copper, is an extremely valuable raw material. Copper extraction is an environmentally damaging and energy-intensive process, so every gram recycled is worth its weight in gold – not only economically but also ecologically. Copper-core cables, such as USB or LAN cables, have significant recycling value.
Aluminum cables are of somewhat lower value, but they are also highly recyclable, so it is not worth throwing them in municipal waste.
Waste Reduction and Environmental Protection
Worn-out cables often simply end up in the trash and eventually in landfills. This is not only a huge waste but also poses a serious environmental burden in the long run. During incineration or improper handling, hazardous substances can be released, which can damage the soil, air, and water.
How Are Cables Recycled?
The recycling of household and industrial cables is a multi-stage, technologically advanced process during which the valuable metals found in the wires, mainly copper and aluminum, are extracted.
- Collection and Pre-sorting: As a first step, the cables are collected – this can be done by waste yards, collection boxes in electronics stores, or scrap metal dealers. Here, it is important to sort the cables by type so that separation can be more efficient during processing.
- Insulation Removal – The Role of the Cable Stripper: The insulation covering the cables was previously removed by burning, but this has now become an environmentally polluting and prohibited method. Instead, mechanical cable stripping machines are used, which gently but effectively separate the sheathing. An outstanding example of this is the McIntyre Euro-strip 1000 type machine, which can clean up to 15 meters of 25 mm diameter cable per minute. Thanks to its mobile design, it can be used flexibly at multiple locations.
- Shredding and Granulation: The cables, now stripped of their sheathing, are shredded by grinding machines, especially in the case of smaller cross-section wires. The resulting granulate is easier to transport and store, and it facilitates the subsequent metal-magnetic and flotation separation processes.
- Separation of Metals and Plastics: After shredding, the separation of material phases follows – the goal is to separate the metal and the sheathing material (usually plastic or rubber). The separated metal goes cleanly to the next stage: melting. During this process, the material is formed into new industrial semi-finished products (e.g., rods, wires, pipes).
- Post-processing of Plastics: The plastic separated as sheathing can also be recycled if its composition allows it. In this way, the entire process can achieve a near 100% recycling efficiency.
Where and How Can Household Cables Be Handed In?
Cables can be handed in at waste yards, electronic collection points, or scrap metal dealers. Most places offer a per-kilogram fee for the cables handed in. The price of copper-containing cables is significantly higher, so it is worth inquiring about current prices in advance.
What Challenges Are Involved in Recycling Cables?
Recycling cables not only allows us to recover valuable materials but also requires us to face several technical and logistical challenges. One of the biggest problems is composite materials, which consist of various components, such as plastic, rubber, and textile in addition to the conductive metal. Separating these is particularly problematic with smaller cross-section, insulated cables where the conductive core is difficult to access.
Not all plastic sheathing is suitable for recycling. Some types cannot be properly reprocessed, or it is simply not worth treating them due to a lack of market demand. This is especially problematic when large quantities of such material are generated during dismantling, as the untreated parts continue to exist as waste.
Another challenge is the contamination of cables, for example, if they have come into contact with oil, dust, or other materials. In such cases, a separate cleaning phase is required before processing, which is time-consuming and costly. All of these factors contribute to the fact that the recycling of certain types of cables can only be carried out under special conditions and with targeted technology.
