How to dispose of carbon water filters?

Author: Adrain Gerlach  |  Last update: Thursday, December 11, 2025

There are no special recycling company for water filters currently, because it is not economical. The filter shell is PP 5 which can be recycled, and the filter media inside is activated carbon. All the materials are safe and harmless. Please throw the filter cartridges as regular waste.

How do you dispose of carbon filters?

Contact Your Local Recycling Center for Advice

In most cases, you'll want to drop off your filters at the recycling center. Remember: HEPA filters can be recycled, pleated cotton or fabric filters can be reused, carbon and aluminum filters can be disposed of in your regular trash.

How to get rid of carbon filters?

Proper Disposal of Used Filters In general, while used carbon filters and HEPA filters can be disposed of in approved landfills, it is important to check with your laboratory safety officer in advance of filter disposal. Local codes may also determine how your used filters should be disposed.

Can you throw away water filters?

Refer to the local recycling facility for specific information on items accepted for recycling. While not recommended, it is safe to throw water filters in the trash.

Can you scrap carbon filters?

Theoretically, carbon filters can be reactivated, but reactivation requires a high temperature (600-900ºC), making it impractical. Besides, disassembing filters costs time and manpower with very limited amout of carbon that can be recycled.

How to recycle carbon water filter

What to do with carbon filters?

Other Things You Can Do with Spent / Used Water Filter Carbon. Used water filter carbon has a great “after life”. It can be reincarnated for several uses including fighting bad smells, mould and composting.

How do I discard filters?

Don't dispose of your old home air filter indoors—take it to your outside trash can and toss it there. While you may be using the plastic bag to seal the dust and debris from your filter inside, bags can puncture or accidentally have holes poked in them.

How do you dispose of clearly filtered filters?

Our filters are made of recyclable materials and may be placed in a recycling bin.

Are old filters recyclable?

Some pleated filters can be recycled, especially if they are made from recyclable plastics or materials that can be processed in recycling facilities. However, it's essential to check with your local recycling program to determine whether they accept pleated filters.

What happens to old water filters?

Depending on your filter type, after 2 months, 6 months or 6 years, your filter could be covered in bacteria, rendering it unable to perform up to optimal spec, and turning it into a petri dish for all other contaminants to thrive, and those very contaminants that you tried to prevent from entering your house will be ...

Do carbon filters go bad?

What Is The Average Life Expectancy Of a Carbon Filter? Carbon filters should be replaced after 18-24 months of continuous (24/7) usage. Although this may vary depending on the company product, it has been shown that carbon filters can last for up to four years.

How do you get rid of carbon?

Carbon removal strategies include familiar approaches like growing trees as well as more novel technologies like direct air capture, which scrubs CO2 from the air and sequesters it underground.

Can carbon filters be cleaned and reused?

While it is possible to reuse a carbon air filter, it is not recommended. Washing a carbon air filter can remove some of the impurities trapped inside, but it will not fully reactivate the carbon. The pores will not open up, and it won't be any better at collecting odor molecules.

Are carbon filters hazardous?

Activated carbon systems used to adsorb vapors for control of offensive odors may pose a fire hazard when used for certain types of substances, if proper procedures are not followed.

Where to dispose of carbon?

Carbon black, with the exception of chemically treated and water dispersible carbon black grades, is appropriately and most often disposed of in landfills.

Can carbon filters be composted?

Plastic-Free, Compostable. Replace filters every 3 months for best performance or maximum 4-6 months for minimal waste. To install, remove the old filter at end of life and place it in the compost. Install the new charcoal filter by sliding under the tabs to hold the filter in place.

How to dispose of carbon filters?

Dispose of Old Filters in a Trashcan

It would be best to discard old filters in the outside trash can rather than in your home.

How to throw away a water filter?

When in doubt, the best way to handle your old, used water filter is to dispose of the filter media via your municipal solid waste. If one is available, you should send the filter media to a recycling company. Then, the shell of the water filter should be discarded in your trash.

Can you throw out BRITA filters?

Do not put in the mixed recycling bins. Put in the Garbage or check out the TERRACYCLE mail-in recycling program. Brita® has teamed up with TerraCycle® to bring you a national recycling solution for Brita® filters, pitchers, dispensers, bottles, faucet systems, and packaging.

Do you throw away or recycle air filters?

Air filters contain fiberglass, which cannot be recycled. Throw them in the trash.

Does Home Depot recycle plastic?

Customer Recycling Services

The Home Depot takes back rechargeable batteries, CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) and plastic bags. You can find a recycling bin with directions for dropping off these materials near the entrance of your local Home Depot store.

How long do clearly filtered water filters last?

Our filter's performance results are to 100 gallons, so we recommend replacement after 100 gallons of use. People drink water at different rates, so they reach the 100 gallon mark at different times.

How to dispose of air doctor carbon filter?

We have been looking into setting up a recycling program in the future. In the meantime, you can discard them with your regular trash or we recommend that you contact your local city recycling management department to get their recommendations about recycling used air filters.

Are old refrigerator water filters recyclable?

Fridge water filters are often not easily recyclable due to their complex composition. While some components, such as the plastic casing, may be recyclable, the primary filtering medium, activated carbon, poses challenges. Activated carbon is typically not recyclable through standard household recycling programs.

How to dispose of aquasana filters?

To recycle the drinking filters yourself, remove the ends of the filters, recycle the plastic parts (which are appropriately numbered) and put the carbon either in your compost pile or garden (carbon is good for plant life), or just throw it out (since the carbon degrades quickly, and is a positive component in a ...

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