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Brita announces recycling program for used water filters

Posted at 5:27 PM on 18 Nov 2008

Brita, maker of popular water-purifying pitchers, will launch a recycling program for used water filters beginning in January. The company's announcement comes after months of pressure from citizen activists. Consumers will be able to drop used filters off at selected Whole Foods stores or mail them in; the plastic parts will be turned into recycled toothbrushes and razors, and the activated carbon "will be regenerated for alternative use or converted into energy," according to the company.

source: The Clorox Company
see also, in Grist: Clorox's Green Works line now top-selling green cleaners in U.S.

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Comments: (7 comments)

You are not logged in. Thus, you cannot post a comment. If you have a Gristmill account, log in below. If you don't have a Gristmill account, well, by all means go make one! Meet you back here in five.

It's a start, but...

...several issues need to be addressed.

First, the only drop-offs are at Whole Foods, and Brita does not provide it's own boxes to mail in used filters from home.

If the program is to be successful large-scale, more stores will need drop-offs, and most importantly, they will devise a delivery system where they provide the containers for recycling and pay for the postage.

...More like how they do with ink cartridges in some cases.

by Tasermons Partner at 6:23 PM on 18 Nov 2008

Re: tasermons partner

I agree. Whole Foods is a solid thirty or so miles away from my house--is that worth it? Other than that, I love Brita. The taste is great and it's better than plastic bottles. I'm glad they're putting in more of an effort than just, "We were green already!"

by abigoogle at 11:05 PM on 18 Nov 2008
[ Parent ]

other filters...

I wonder if they'll take Pur filters, too?

The mellotron is your friend.

by archigeek at 9:43 AM on 19 Nov 2008

"Turned into energy"?

You mean burned, right? If the filters were installed in most places, there's not much going on there (some iron), but where they have been used for a reason -- people with lead piping, etc. -- burning the charcoal means liberating any of the materials filtered into a highly mobile form.

Why is this a good idea?

The 5% Project Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay.

by JMG at 10:49 AM on 19 Nov 2008

Response from PUR

Response (RightNow Administrator) - 11/21/2008 09:15 AM

Thanks for contacting us.

We appreciate your concern regarding the recycling of PUR products. Although PUR doesn't have a recycling program available at this time, P&G is committed to ensuring our products, packaging, and operations are safe for consumers and the environment. For products that go out with the trash, our approach is to reduce, reuse, recycle, compost, or incinerate waste (with energy recovered) prior to land filling, wherever it's environmentally and economically appropriate.

We're continually researching alternatives for more environmentally improved products and packaging. For more information about what P&G is doing to achieve this, please visit

http://www.pg.com/sr

Thanks again for writing.

Jim
PUR Team

to which I replied...

PUR Team,

That's PUR murkiness ! I'm posting this to Grist. This planet doesn't need what's best for the bottom line...

JD & Kelley Howell of Eugene, OR. visit us: Cut20.blogspot.com

by Howell Haus at 9:13 AM on 21 Nov 2008

Whole Foods dropoffs

I guess Brita figures anybody who's going to go to the trouble to recycle a filter already goes to WF on a regular basis... a bit of a stereotype I think, but it's a decent start. I doubt we'll see conventional grocery chains doing this anytime soon.

A better next step would be to have the local/municipal hazardous household waste and recycling dropoff locations accept them, just like they do batteries, CFLs, etc etc.

by sarahbei at 8:48 AM on 25 Nov 2008

Just the beginning

It's a good start, but definitely could use some tweaking. I'm also curious if they'll accept other brand filters as long as they're the same type. If they did, Brita would certainly look like a caring and environmentally responsible company.

As far as the drop-offs question goes, it's rare to find a recycling program that just starts in every grocery store and every town right off the bat. I take my plastic lids and bottle tops to one grocery store and my plastic bags to another. It takes a little time to get it all rolling conveniently, but I have think it will get there.

by Tricina at 12:52 PM on 26 Nov 2008

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