How can I reuse or recycle … water filter cartridges?

A glass of waterWe’ve had an email from Hannah Phillips asking if anyone has any ideas on how to recycle old water filter cartridges.

Hannah started using water filters because she thought it would be less wasteful than buying bottled water – less plastic etc – but now has the cartridges to dispose of instead.

Brita brand filters (which seem to be one of the most prominent in the UK as far as I’ve seen) say all their cartridges can be recycled but what about other brands?

And how about reusing them rather than sending them in for recycling?

(Photo by jan-willem)

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71 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle … water filter cartridges?”


  1. great article. I liked the way you define it. I also encourage people to reuse everything as much as you can. Recycling is the best thing to save our planet.

  2. Alexa Bartel says:

    Do I need to take them to a certain place to recycle them or do I just recycle them along with other plastics?

  3. Eric Zerin says:

    Our first one is still working great after 3 years!
    Just made another one and drilled a tiny pin hole
    In the top of each lid to equalize air pressure in both buckets. Also attached 3″ clear drip tube to accelerate the dripping process. It works!

  4. Joanne Coffin says:

    What about bagging up the activated charcoal in a used up filter in a cloth bag and using as a car air freshener or a drawer freshener? Is this a possibility?

  5. Asif says:

    we are using Aqua Clear filter cartridge A40A-1A for our waste water RO plant in Pakistan , KARACHI, and want to recycle / reuse these cartridges. if any one knows about disposal process please inform me.

  6. Heather Charnley says:

    It would be even better if the manufacturers made the cartridges so that they could be opened and the contents disposed of, and then we could buy replacement infill and then the plastic wouldn’t need to be disposed of quite so frequently if at all. How about it manufacturers?!!

  7. Hy very good article thanks for sharing keep up the good work!



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