Nothing lasts forever; eventually, your facility will need new electrical wires. While a licensed professional can help you get the new wires you need, you may get stuck with the old ones. You can’t just throw them away with the rest of your commercial waste. Electrical wires contain valuable metals such as copper that you don’t want to waste if you can help it. They’re also coated in plastic that can release dangerous chemicals into the environment when heated. Keep reading to learn how to safely dispose of old electrical wires so you don’t waste valuable materials or cause environmental harm.
You Can Donate Them
Just because you can’t use these electrical wires anymore doesn’t mean someone else can’t either. Many of the materials in electrical wires, such as the copper we mentioned above, are reusable. School STEM programs and artists who use alternative materials can utilize old electrical wires to experiment in laboratories, make jewelry, and more. Research electrical wire donation programs in your area to learn if your facility can safely give your trash to become someone else’s treasure.
You Can Recycle Them
If you can’t find a donation program or worry that your wires are in too rough of shape to help anyone else, you can recycle them. However, that doesn’t mean you can throw them in the typical recycling box on the curb with your regular trash. Properly recycling electronic waste often requires an e-waste recycling service. Even though you’re not recycling devices that require data wiping and other precautions, old electrical wires are still considered e-waste, which means they require special handling.
E-Waste Rules and Regulations
Currently, 25 states and the District of Columbia regulate electronic waste, or e-waste. Since you’re busy running a facility, it’s often best for you to let someone else handle any rules and regulations in your area. Even if there are no rules and regulations in your state, dropping your electronics off at a recycling facility or hiring an e-waste recycling service to handle the recycling for you allows you to focus on your facility instead of your waste.
Knowing how to safely dispose of old electrical wires is necessary for any facility or maintenance leader. As e-waste laws change across the states, donating or hiring an e-waste recycling service remain the best options to get rid of your old wires and focus on your facility’s needs.
