If you use Brita water filter cartridges you can now recycle them. As yet it does not tell you this when you buy the cartridges alone, the information is only on the information leaflet when you buy a whole system.
Brita does not use any extra transportation to recycle the filters, the same network that delivers new products collects the old ones for recycling.
The plastic body of the filter is cleaned and ground up, the resulting granules are supplied to the plastics industry for reuse.
The carbon and ion exchangers are separated, the carbon is returned to the manufacturer and used for things like waste water treatment.
Photo: Marco Frattola
Brita themselves recycle the ion exchangers:
The ion exchangers are subjected to a chemical and thermal 100% recycling and purification process at our own plant. At the end of this process, the ion exchange resin fulfils all the quality demands that are expected in functional and hygienic terms of new, freshly produced ion exchanger resin. The ion exchange resin is then reused for the production of household water filters.
There are three places on the Isle of Wight where you can take your used Brita water filter cartridges for recycling:
City Plumbing Supplies
NO 53, UNIT 2 Manners View
Newport
Isle Of Wight
PO30 5FA
Argos
Newport, Isle of Wight
PO30 5LG
Tesco Superstore
Brading Road
Ryde PO33 1QS
If you live somewhere other than the Isle of Wight, go to the Brita website and put your postcode into the box and it will tell you where your nearest place to recycle them is.
For other places see Brita Worldwide, there is a drop down box with links for your Country.
If you live in the USA you cannot recycle them, there is a pressure group trying to change things called ‘Take Back the Filter‘.
Well done to Brita, anyone know if any of the other water cartridge companies have a similar scheme? If Brita can do it surely the rest of them can.
