How to dispose of useless wires?

December 14, 2005 6:45 AM

Cleaning out the basement... What do I do with all these useless wires?

Over the years, I've accumulated a few cardboard boxes worth of sundry wires, cables and power supplies. Many of these are useless without another (missing) piece of hardware, so they can't go to Goodwill. Is there any way to keep them out of a landfill?

posted by danblaker to home & garden (11 comments total)

Look up scrap metal recylers in your phone book.
posted by bonehead at 6:47 AM on December 14, 2005

The rule of thumb in salvaging metal is that if a magnet won't stick its worth something. Iron scraps out at a very low price.

People generally burn off the insulation before weighing the wire, so this may not be more environmentally safe than the landfill.
posted by StickyCarpet at 6:53 AM on December 14, 2005

I'm sure a local geek would love to have them.
posted by pollystark at 7:27 AM on December 14, 2005

Is there anything that can be used (or sold in one of their ReStore centers) by Habitat for Humanity? Or even local trades education programs?
posted by jeanmari at 7:31 AM on December 14, 2005

Here is a list of electronics recycling stations in the Portland area.
posted by junkbox at 7:32 AM on December 14, 2005

If you have one of those AM radio swap shows in the area, call in and offer the stuff for free. Within ten minutes, some handyman will take it. This, by the way, works for nearly anything you want to get rid of.
posted by LarryC at 7:39 AM on December 14, 2005

I'm sure a local geek would love to have them.

Any geek worth the name already has his own collection of sundry wires, cables, and power supplies. I know I have three storage bins full. I did have six but I threw some of 'em out when I moved.
posted by kindall at 8:45 AM on December 14, 2005

How about freecycle?
posted by phearlez at 9:22 AM on December 14, 2005

Within ten minutes, some handyman will take it.

The free section on craigslist works this way, too. List anything, no matter how random, and you will be deluged with calls until you remove the ad.
posted by Mars Saxman at 10:16 AM on December 14, 2005

Thanks for all the suggestions! Earth911's list was just what I'm looking for. Craigslist and Freecycle are great resources that I've used many times, but I'd prefer not to do the list-schedule-pickup-unlist dance for each and every wire, cable and power supply. Habitat For Humanity's ReStore centers are wonderful, but I'd end up coming home with more than I'd drop off.
posted by danblaker at 11:31 AM on December 14, 2005

Burn off the insulation and then recycle the remaining copper? Are you crazy? Do you know how much toxic nastiness that would give off, and how little metal would be left? Most typical electronic cables seem to be at least 50% plastic insulation by weight, if not more.
posted by Rhomboid at 8:28 AM on December 15, 2005