Comments on: How to dispose of useless wires?

Question: How to dispose of useless wires?

danblaker — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 06:45:58 -0800

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?

By: bonehead

bonehead — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 06:47:54 -0800

Look up scrap metal recylers in your phone book.

By: StickyCarpet

StickyCarpet — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 06:53:46 -0800

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.

By: pollystark

pollystark — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 07:27:57 -0800

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

By: jeanmari

jeanmari — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 07:31:51 -0800

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?

By: junkbox

junkbox — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 07:32:05 -0800

Here is a list of electronics recycling stations in the Portland area.

By: LarryC

LarryC — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 07:39:29 -0800

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.

By: kindall

kindall — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 08:45:04 -0800

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.

By: phearlez

phearlez — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 09:22:03 -0800

How about freecycle?

By: Mars Saxman

Mars Saxman — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 10:16:01 -0800

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.

By: danblaker

danblaker — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 11:31:55 -0800

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.

By: Rhomboid

Rhomboid — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 08:28:27 -0800

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.