ASK
Could your headphones be repaired? Could you donate them to a charity? Pass them on to someone you know? Or could you sell your unwanted headphones?
Recycling headphones
Listen up. Whether you’re into wireless headphones, over-ear headphones, noise-cancelling headphones or earbuds, it’s easier than ever to recycle headphones.
How to recycle unwanted headphones
It’s as easy as ABC
BAG IT
Find a bag or box that you can use to store your unwanted headphones along with other old electrical gadgets until you can go to the recycling centre – or until collection day if you have one.
CHECK
Find your nearest recycling point. Simply enter your postcode in our recycling locator. And off you go.
Recycling locatorWhere can you recycle headphones and earbuds?
Pick the option that suits you. Or mix it up.
In store
Thousands of stores across the UK will now recycle your old headphones or earbuds for you when you buy new ones from them. Some retailers take back all old electricals for recycling or refurbishment, even if you’re not buying something new. #zerowaste
With your recycling collection
Some councils collect electricals for recycling – either with your regular waste collection or by special arrangement. Contact your council or check their website to find out. Use our recycling locator.
Your local recycling centre
Household waste and recycling centres have drop-off points for electricals and batteries. Some also have an area where you can leave items to be refurbished and passed on – maybe your headphones could get an encore with a new listener.
Recycling banks
Some supermarkets, car parks and designated roadside areas have electrical recycling bins. These are great for smaller items like headphones, earbuds and the wires that go with them.
DID YOU KNOW?
Half a billion*
That’s how many pairs of earphones and headphones were shipped worldwide in 2021 – nearly double the figure in 2013.
Like anything with a plug, battery or cable, headphones can be recycled at the end of their useful life – let’s make sure they are.
You only have two ears
A 2017 survey found that over a quarter of headphone users in the US owned at least three, and sometimes as many as five, pairs of headphones.
Of course there are different types of headphones for different uses – bluetooth headphones, wireless headphones, wired headphones, on-ear headphones, over-ear headphones, in-ear headphones, sports headphones, gaming headsets, headphones for music production, headphones for pilots and deep sea divers. We could go on. But let’s be honest, many of us probably have at least one pair sitting quietly in that drawer of tangled wires, cables, adaptors, chargers and other electrical thingamajigs that we haven’t quite got around to sorting out. Well, now’s the time – and it’s never been easier.
Find out where to recycle all your unwanted headphones and other electricals.
Recycling locatorDisposing of headphones – frequently asked questions
Can I put my old headphones or earbuds in the bin?
No. Headphones are electrical equipment and like anything with a plug, battery or cable we should recycle them. Rechargeable headphones and earphones have built-in batteries and if we don’t recycle them properly they can cause a fire in the waste stream. So check out our page on recycling batteries and things with batteries in them. But before you commit to recycling check out the options for repairing and donating yours.
What does the crossed-out bin icon on my headphones mean?
Many electricals have a crossed-out wheelie bin symbol either on the device or the packaging. This indicates hazardous waste and means you mustn’t put the product in the general rubbish bin. Even if your headphones don’t display this symbol, you still need to dispose of them properly to avoid polluting the environment and to save some of the planet’s most valuable resources from being lost forever. Also, if your headphones have in-built batteries they risk causing fires in the waste stream if not disposed of properly.
Is it OK to leave my old headphones or earbuds out on the street for someone to pick up?
Not really. Leaving electrical goods on the pavement, hoping someone will pick them up, can lead to valuable and hazardous materials not being managed properly. Also, if your headphones have in-built batteries they risk causing fires in the waste stream if not disposed of properly. Headphones and earbuds are light, portable and easy to take to a recycling point. Find your nearest drop-off or collection point for electricals by entering your postcode in our recycling locator.
What happens to old headphones and earbuds if I recycle them?
When your headphones – or any other unwanted electricals – reach a recycling centre, they are broken down mechanically and by hand. The fragments are sorted into various materials such as metals and plastics, and are cleaned. Then they go for further processing so that manufacureres can reuse them in new products or materials. Watch our video on How electricals are recycled.
Where can I recycle headphones or earbuds that I’m replacing?
Find your nearest reuse and recycling point using our recycling locator. Or, if you’re shopping, bear in mind that retailers now take back old electricals when you’re buying new – including old headphones and earbuds. You have 28 days to hand over your old ones for disposal from the time you buy your new headphones. Some larger stores will recycle your old gadgets even if you’re not buying from them. It’s easier than ever to recycle headphones and earbuds – find out more on appliance recycling at retailers.
Do charity shops take old headphones and earbuds?
Some charity shops welcome electricals such as headphones and earbuds that are in good working order. See our page on donating electricals to charity shops.
Find your nearest recycling point
Put in your postcode to find recycling and reuse centres near you
