A new study reveals that UK households are sitting on a hidden resource: unused or discarded electricals containing significant amounts of copper. According to Material Focus’ Recycle Your Electricals campaign, over 627 million old cables, along with other electricals, contain 38,000 tonnes of copper, worth £266 million. This metal is crucial for green technologies like wind turbines and solar panels, which will require 347,000 tonnes of copper by 2030, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry.
To tackle this, Recycle Your Electricals has launched The Great Cable Challenge, aiming to recycle one million cables as part of International E-Waste Day. The goal is to reduce e-waste and address the copper shortage needed for sustainable technology.
Scott Butler, executive director of Recycle Your Electricals, emphasized the importance of recycling these hidden “urban mines” found in household drawers, known as “drawers of doom.” He highlighted the potential to lessen environmental harm by reusing this copper instead of relying on environmentally damaging mining practices.
Experts urge the government to invest in recycling infrastructure and technologies to help meet copper demand. Izzi Monk from the Royal Society of Chemistry called for a coordinated approach, stressing that boosting copper recycling is essential to securing supply for a greener future.
