ASK
Could your speakers be repaired? Could you donate them to a charity? Pass them on to someone you know? Or could you sell your unwanted speakers?
Speaker recycling
Have you heard? You can recycle speakers, smart speakers, amplifiers, tuners, subwoofers, cables, CD players (remember them?) – every bit of your sound system. Music to your ears.
How to recycle speakers and other parts of a sound system
It’s as easy as ABC
BAG IT
Find a bag or box to store your unwanted speakers and other audio equipment, 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 locator – and beat it to your nearest recycling point.
Recycling locatorWhere can you recycle speakers, smart speakers and accessories?
Pick the option that suits you.
In store
Across the UK thousands of shops will now recycle your old speakers 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
All household waste and recycling centres have drop-off points for electricals (and batteries). Some also have a special area where you can leave items to be refurbished and passed on – maybe your unwanted speakers could go to a new home.
Recycling banks
Some supermarkets, car parks and designated roadside areas have electrical recycling bins. Check whether larger items like speakers, amps, tuners and CD players will fit.
DID YOU KNOW?
The smart thing to do with unwanted smart speakers is reuse or recycle them
Before you pass them on or recycle them, remember to do a factory reset to remove any of your personal data stored on the device.
The same goes for any smart devices.
Why recycling sounds so good
If you’re changing up your sounds you might be ready to get rid of your old wired speakers, bluetooth speakers, amplifier, tuner, CD player, or even a cassette player – as well as the cables, plugs, connectors and remote control units that go with them. You can recycle anything with a plug, battery or cable – and it’s easier than ever. Sell it, pass it on, donate it to charity or drop it off to be taken care of by specialists. You’ll be saving precious materials such as gold and silver from being lost forever.
Recycling locatorFrequently asked questions about recycling speakers and other audio components
Can I put my old speakers in the bin?
No. Wired speakers and bluetooth speakers are electrical equipment. And at the end of their useful life you should reycle them – like anything with a plug, battery or cable. Many bluetooth speakers have rechargeable batteries inside and if we don’t manage these properly they can pose a fire risk in the waste stream. Check out our page on recycling batteries and devices with in-built batteries. But before you commit to recycling check out the options for repairing and donating yours.
The symbol of a crossed-out bin on my speakers and other audio equipment – what does that mean?
Electricals display the 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. You 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.
Is it OK to leave my old speakers out on the street for someone to pick up?
No – unless you’ve made special arrangements with your council to have bulky goods collected. Otherwise, don’t leave electrical goods on the pavement in the hope that someone will pick them up. Instead, help make manage the valuable and hazardous materials they contain properly – by finding your nearest drop-off or collection point for electricals by entering your postcode in our recycling locator.
What happens to old speakers and other audio components if you recycle them?
When your speakers, amp, tuner, radio etc reach a recycling centre they will be broken down mechanically and by hand. The fragments are sorted into materials such as metals and plastics, and are cleaned. These go for further processing so that manufacturers can reuse them in new products or materials. Watch our video on How electricals are recycled.
Where can I recycle speakers, smart speakers or other audio gear 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 speakers and other audio gear. You have 28 days to hand your old ones over for disposal from the time you purchase any new equipment. Some larger stores will recycle your old tech even if you’re not buying from them. So you see it’s easier than ever to recycle speakers and other audio equipment – find out more on appliance recycling at retailers.
Do charity shops take old speakers?
Some charity shops welcome electricals such as speakers, smart speakers, amplifiers, tuners and CD players 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
