Nexans Recycling Services launches with a focus on cable recycling

As the strain on resources and global waste generation continue to increase, efficient use of raw materials and state-of-the-art waste management is crucial for global sustainable development. In a few decades, metal will become increasingly scarce and recycling will become an ever more important source of metal.¹ In fact, even today, more than 33% of the world's aluminum and 40% of total copper production come from recycling, e.g. "urban mines".² To further promote and encourage circular economy, Nexans has launched Nexans Recycling Services aimed at helping customers and partners manage their cable waste.

With this launch, Nexans intends to simplify disposal of any copper or aluminum cable regardless of its origins. The new service allows installers, distributors, utilities as well as OEMs, resource companies and contractors to benefit from monetary compensation for their cable waste based on a transparent valorization process.

Nexans Recycling Services include turnkey logistics solutions: from collection of leftover and end-of-life cables from construction sites, renovation sites or dismantled installations to their transfer to Nexans' recycling facilities. In addition, Nexans Recycling Services team also provides empty containers for bulk cable waste as well as trucks for cable drums.

According to a EU directive, since 2008, companies in Europe are legally responsible for their cable waste until they can prove it has been disposed or recycled. To address such liabilities, Nexans is committed to ensuring full traceability of the operations along the recycling process.

Also, as copper and aluminum, two core components of electrical cables, are 100% reusable, Nexans seeks to improve resource efficiency and reduce potential emissions from mining and refining processes by separating and recovering the non-ferrous metals from cable waste.

"With the launch of Nexans Recycling Services, we are happy to bring over 30 years of experience in recycling cable waste to the service of our customers," said Guy Burlet, Director of Nexans Recycling Services. "Yet what is even more exciting is that this added-value service allows us and our customers to contribute to building a more sustainable world of tomorrow."

Nexans brings energy to life through an extensive range of cables and cabling solutions that deliver increased performance for our customers worldwide. Nexans' teams are committed to a partnership approach that supports customers in four main business areas: Power transmission and distribution (submarine and land), Energy resources (Oil & Gas, Mining and Renewables), Transportation (Road, Rail, Air, Sea) and Building (Commercial, Residential and Data Centers). Nexans' strategy is founded on continuous innovation in products, solutions and services, employee development, customer training and the introduction of safe, low-environmental-impact industrial processes.

In 2013, Nexans became the first cable player to create a Foundation to introduce sustained initiatives for access to energy for disadvantaged communities worldwide.

Nexans is an active member of Europacable, the European Association of Wire & Cable Manufacturers, and a signatory of the Europacable Industry Charter. The Charter expresses its members' commitment to the principles and objectives of developing ethical, sustainable and high-quality cables.

Nexans, acting for the energy transition, has an industrial presence in 40 countries, commercial activities worldwide, is employing close to 26,000 people and generating sales in 2016 of 5.8 billion euros. 

 1 S.H. Ali, D. Giurco, N. Arndt, E. Nickless et al. "Mineral supply for sustainable development requires resource governance". Nature. March 2017: 376-372. Print

 2 Bureau of International Recycling, 2017