How-to · 4 min read · Updated 6 November 2026
How to dispose of TV accessories: boxes, remotes, soundbars and cables
Quick guide by item
| Item | Where it goes | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Remote controls | Small electricals | Take the batteries out first |
| Batteries | Battery recycling point in shops or recycling centres | Never in household bins |
| Pay TV set-top boxes | Usually return to the provider | Check your contract and return instructions |
| Freeview or freesat boxes you own | Small electricals | Reset or remove any recordings first |
| Soundbars and speakers | Small electricals | Remove any app pairing |
| DVD and Blu-ray players | Small electricals | Check for a disc left inside |
| Games consoles | Small electricals, or sell or trade in | Sign out and factory reset |
| Streaming sticks | Small electricals | Remove from your accounts |
| HDMI, power and aerial cables | Small electricals or cable recycling | Often accepted in small WEEE containers |
| Wall brackets | Scrap metal | Metal container at recycling centres |
| TV stands and cabinets | Furniture or bulky waste | Reuse is often possible |
Batteries: the item most people get wrong
Remote controls, soundbar remotes and game controllers often contain AA, AAA or button batteries, and some have built-in rechargeable lithium batteries. Batteries thrown in household bins cause fires in bin lorries and waste sites, and lithium batteries are the biggest risk.
- Take batteries out of remotes before recycling them
- Tape over the ends of lithium and button batteries to stop them sparking
- Use the battery collection points found in most supermarkets and shops that sell batteries
- Recycling centres also have battery containers
- Items with built-in batteries go in small electricals, not general waste
Shops that sell a certain volume of portable batteries are required to offer free battery take-back, which is why collection tubes appear near tills in many supermarkets.
Set-top boxes from pay TV providers
Boxes, routers and hubs supplied by pay TV and broadband providers often remain the provider's property under the contract, especially newer models. When you cancel or upgrade, the provider usually sends a returns bag or label, and some charge a fee if equipment is not returned.
- Check your contract or account page before recycling any provider box
- Keep the returns pack if one arrives
- Return remotes and power supplies if requested
- Ask the provider what to do with older boxes they no longer want back
If the provider confirms it does not want an old box back, it can go into small electricals at a recycling centre.
Freeview and Freesat boxes and recorders you bought yourself are your own property and can be sold, given away or recycled. Older boxes that cannot receive current channels or apps have little resale value, so recycling is usually the right choice for them.
Data and accounts on accessories
Some accessories store more personal information than you might expect. Games consoles hold account logins, payment details and saved data. Streaming sticks stay signed in to apps. Set-top boxes with hard drives may contain recordings, and some soundbars and smart speakers are linked to voice assistants.
- Sign out of all accounts on consoles and streaming sticks
- Remove the device from your account lists online
- Do a factory reset from the settings menu
- Delete recordings on owned recorder boxes
- Remove soundbars and speakers from your smart home app
Getting rid of everything in one go
When you replace a TV setup or clear a room, there is often a pile of accessories as well as the TV itself. Bagging small electricals together and taking them in one trip makes recycling easy. Keep cables tied or bagged so they do not tangle in other waste.
If you are arranging a collection for the TV, ask whether accessories can be added. Small items such as remotes, boxes, players and cables are often included for little or nothing extra, while larger items such as TV cabinets may be priced separately.
Reuse before recycling
Working consoles, soundbars and streaming sticks often have resale value and can be sold or traded in. Retro consoles and some older games kit can sell well. Cables and spare remotes can be offered free locally. Reuse keeps working items in use for longer, which is preferred over recycling under the waste hierarchy.
- Consoles and controllers: sell or trade in, after signing out and resetting
- Soundbars and speakers: sell locally or give to family
- Universal remotes and spare cables: offer free on community groups
- DVD players: often easier to give away than sell
- Wooden TV units: furniture reuse projects may collect them
Frequently asked questions
Can I put an old remote control in the bin?
No. A remote control is a small electrical item and should go to small electricals recycling, not your household bin. Take the batteries out first and recycle them separately at a battery collection point, as batteries in bins can cause fires. Recycling centres and some supermarkets have containers for small electricals and batteries.
Do I have to return my old Sky or Virgin Media box?
Often yes. Many pay TV providers keep ownership of the equipment they supply and ask for it back when you cancel or upgrade, sometimes charging a fee if it is not returned. Check your contract or account page, or contact the provider. If they confirm they do not need it back, recycle it as small electricals.
Can HDMI and aerial cables be recycled?
Yes. Cables contain copper and other metals that can be recovered. Most household waste recycling centres accept cables in the small electricals or WEEE container, and some have a separate cable bin. Working cables are also easy to give away locally or keep as spares. Do not put them in household recycling bins.
set-top boxes remotes batteries small electricals
