We’ve all got that drawer at home with the cables that we don’t quite know what to do with, don’t we? Doesn’t quite justify a trip to the HWRC but, of course, as industry professionals, we know very well that they shouldn’t go into our bins at home.

Well, in advance of International E Waste Day on 14th October 2024, and supporting the Recycle Your Electricals’ Great Cable Challenge, REPIC is asking all visitors to RWM and the wider ESS Expo to bring along with them any old cables that they want to send for recycling. There will be a deposit point at the REPIC Central Bar, where you can also learn about arranging your own WEEE collection point for International E Waste Day in October.

So, why cables? Cables are full of copper, a finite resource used in a whole host of applications. Cables are also one of the most likely electrical items to be thrown away with general waste or hoarded within homes. The average UK home has at least 4 or 5 cables in drawers. In addition to this, 5 million cables are binned every year. If every attendee at ESS Expo recycled just one cable, we could save at least 60kg of copper from going to waste.

So please, as you’re packing your bags for the conference of the year, have a quick look in your drawer for the cable from your old phone/laptop/camera that you don’t own anymore and bring it along.  

*Note, we will only be accepting cables at the show. Please do not bring any other electrical items for recycling. Continue to take these to your local collection point which can be found here.

Join REPIC at the Resource & Waste Management Expo (RWM Expo) for a deep dive into pivotal environmental topics.

This key event features over 200 sessions in key sectors like Net Zero, Energy from Waste, Sustainability, and consulting services. It's an essential platform for those keen to engage with the latest sustainable trends and innovations. Discover the future of resource solutions at the RWM Expo.