Where to Recycle Water Filters

Continuously growing in demand, water filtration systems have become more accessible to buyers. The most common question, though, is: What do I do with my old water filters?

Understanding Why You Should Recycle Water Filters

Regardless of the kind of water filter you use, you have to change its filter cartridge on a regular basis – otherwise, your entire water treatment process is incomplete. For any kind of water filter, this frequency is based on an array of parameters.

Although home water filters are much better for the environment than buying dozens of bottled water every week, all the used filters certainly add to the amount of non-biodegradable waste in a landfill. In fact, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Americans generate over 38 million pounds of plastic every day. While recycling is a great way to counter this, you could be doing more. So, below are the 4 most environment-friendly ways to dispose of your home water filtration cartridge.

Water filter disposal is a learned process that should be taken seriously by the average citizen and also by businesses, which is already the practice of socially responsible companies such as the Fully-Verified. This is especially important for those enterprises with water filtration products. It’s unfortunate, but most companies don’t offer recycling programs for used water filters at this point.

5 Places to Recycle Water Filters

As a responsible citizen by showing proper appreciation for the environment and caring for the human population, you can set an example for others to follow.

The biggest risk that is associated with water filter disposal is accumulating pollutants and allowing those substances the potential for becoming contaminant for humans and animals. Here are a number of easy steps that you can use to dispose of your water filters for the best possible conditions for both the environment and for human use:

Contact Manufacturer for Their Recycling Procedure

The use of replacement cartridges has become essential today, as many domestic and industrial water filters cannot function without them. Unfortunately, many of them are not recyclable at all. Therefore, they must be disposed of in a special way to reduce the impact on the environment. In most cases, the cartridge manufacturer will have specific instructions on how to dispose of their product. You should contact the manufacturer to find out more about their recycling procedure.

Gimme 5

While the majority of the time, recycling programs are run by a single party. Brita is an excellent example of a brand that has decided to make it easier for its customers to recycle its products. The Gimme 5 program, managed by Preserve, offers Brita users a way to recycle their water filters. Consumers can drop off their used filters at a number of convenient locations in order to recycle them safely.

ZeroWater and Pur

Wondering where to dispose of your used #5 water filters or other plastic #5 waste material? Well, there are several options you may choose from. First, you may use the collection bins you find in a local wholefood store. Alternatively, you may send your used water filters to Preserve via the official mail address posted on their website. And of course, there is ZeroWater and Pur – other brands with recycling programs in place. If you opt to buy your filters from either of these brands, you’ll have to check their official websites for more details about the collection points.

Brita Water Filter

When in doubt regarding what should be the next step to recycle your Brita water filter, you should read the three-arrow symbol imprinted on the item and analyze its numeric sequence. When you do, it will reveal the exact type of plastic the item is made of. Plastic categories are identified by the numbers 1 through 5. Once you know what kind of plastic is your Brita water filter made of, you need to start looking for an appropriate place to dispose of it for recycling.

Whatever program you may want to take advantage of, do remember that you should not be charged for anything aside from the shipping fee. You should keep in mind that if you come across sites that request you to pay them for recycling your used cartridges, they might not be legitimate after all. These types of sites find creative methods of earning fast and easy profits, and often, they involve deception and fraud.

Reuse – Not Recommended!

There are people who mistakenly think they can break up the filter and mix the charcoal particles with gravel on their driveways, then throw out the filter itself. This is wrong. The only way to completely recycle your filter is to return it to the manufacturer, a process that has been rendered extremely easy by the internet. Also, there are people who like to use their filters repeatedly. They clean them up, then refill the charcoal. Unfortunately, this does not guarantee that the filter will be as good as new. If you want to be absolutely sure of your product, you will recycle your filters.

How To Recycle Refrigerator Water Filters

It is vital that a refrigerator water filter is changed or at least checked periodically to ensure that water of the highest quality is being delivered to the house and that no bacteria is built up inside the cartridge. The program your refrigerator is using is called Whirlpool Refresh & Recycle, which they started back in 2014. This is meant to enable concerned Whirlpool customers to recycle any brand fridge water filter and that for cheaply. Unfortunately, these days this program has not available anymore.

If you need to recycle your refrigerator’s water filter instead of disposing of them in the trash, there are many things you can do. For starters, you can actually recycle them like any other brand’s water filter and make your environment less toxic while saving some money.

Verdict About Where To Recycle Water Filters

Recycling water filters is a learned practice that can only bring benefits in the long run. The more you realize how detrimental plastic water filter disposal is against the environment, the more likely you are to embrace this environmentally conscious practice.

The process may take some effort in some respects, but it will allow you to enjoy peace of mind, knowing that you contribute to helping our planet and creating a better world for you and your loved ones to live in.