National shortage as UK households urged to hand over old electric items
The UK is facing a shortage of a key element and everyone is being asked to help.
Households across the UK are being urged to hand over their old electrical items due to a national shortage.
Copper supplies are dwindling and now households across the country are being asked to dig out old electrical wires and computer cables and donate them to the cause.
Scientists are calling on people to recycle 1 million cables this week to mark International E-Waste Day, which would harness 5,000kg of copper for precious supplies.
Recycle Your Electricals said: “Our research, in partnership with the Royal Society of Chemistry found that we need 347,000 tonnes of copper to build wind turbines and solar panels for our 2030 targets – and we currently don’t have enough.
A third of this could be produced from the electricals that we’re currently throwing away and holding onto in our homes. Let’s save precious copper from going to waste – dig out your old, unwanted electricals and find your local recycling point!”
Households don’t need to do anything special with their old cables - simply stick them in household recycling, the kind your local council collects every fortnight, or take them to a local recycling point.
For example, electrical retailer Currys will accept old wires, cables, batteries and light bulbs and recycle them for you, free of charge.
Recycle Your Electricals added: “International E-Waste Day, 14 October 2024, (IEWD) is a key moment to raise awareness of electrical waste as the fastest-growing source of waste in the world, and in the UK. Whilst more and more of us are recycling, we need everyone to do it to save precious materials from being lost forever.
“While The Great Cable Challenge focuses on recycling cables, we encourage you to donate or recycle any old, unwanted electricals items – that includes anything with a plug, battery or cable.”
