The Great Cable Challenge: time to tackle your drawer of doom

23rd September 2026

Got a drawer full of cables you never use? You’re not alone.

There’s the phone charger you haven’t used since your last upgrade, the HDMI lead you’re keeping “just in case,” and that mystery cable that nobody recognises,  yet nobody dares to throw away.

Across the country, an estimated 140 million unused cables are tucked away. If you put them all together, they could stretch around the Earth five times!

Perhaps it’s finally time to tackle that drawer of doom…

Why are old cables worth recycling?

You might think your old leads are just plastic and wire, but hidden inside are valuable materials like copper, aluminium, and even gold.

Copper is particularly important in everyday life. It’s used in everything from mobile phones and public transport to clean energy technologies and lifesaving medical equipment.

If one million people recycled just one cable each, we could save at least 5,000kg of copper, which could be recycled into something new!

So, that tangled mess behind your TV might actually be a tiny treasure trove of resources!

What cables are hiding in your home?

Probably more varieties than you realise.

Some cables might leave you scratching your head about what they’re actually for. Our Great Cable Guide can help you identify the cables hiding in your drawer and work out what they’re used for.

There are the common ones:

• USB-C and USB-A cables for phones, tablets and laptops
• HDMI cables for TVs, games consoles and monitors
• Laptop chargers and power adapters
• Audio cables for headphones and speakers
• Extension cords

Then there are the ones you haven’t seen in years, such as VGA, DVI, SCART or Mini USB leads.

Technology moves fast, and older standards are constantly replaced. USB-C, for example, is now becoming the universal connector for newer gadgets.

This doesn’t mean everything has to go! If you still enjoy a retro games console or an old camera, those cables remain useful.

But if you’re hoarding a lead for a device that left your life five years ago, it’s definitely time to let it go.

The three-question cable test

Struggling to sort your collection?

Try the Keep, Pass On or Recycle test.

1. Do I actually use it?

If you use it, keep it. However, if it hasn’t been touched in over a year, our Great Cable Guide suggests you probably don’t need it anymore.

2. Could someone else use it?

If it’s still in working order, consider donating it. Apps like Olio, Freegle or Nextdoor can help you find someone who actually needs that charger you’ve been storing for ages.

3. Is it time for it to go?

If you don’t need it and it can’t be reused, recycle it.

How to recycle old cables

The good news is that cables themselves can be recycled.

Anything with a plug, battery or cable counts. Simply gather up the cablesyou no longer need, pop them in a bag and find a local recycling point.

Find your nearest cable recycling point

Not sure where to take them?

Our Electricals Recycling Locator makes it easy. There are over  30,000 locations, including recycling centres and retailers 

Find your nearest electrical recycling point →

Just enter your postcode to find the best spot for your unwanted electricals.

One cable can make a difference

Recycling a single cable might seem small, but it adds up.

So, why not open that drawer today? Find the cables you haven’t used in forever, untangle them, and give them a second life.