Now that you've switched from bottled to filtered water...

I've covered some very unexpected recycling programs on this blog, ranging from "upcycling" juice pouches to "artcycling" produce stickers. Now here comes another recycling opportunity that'll be beloved by anyone who switched to a Brita filter to reduce plastic waste from all those one-use water bottles. The Take Back the Filter campaign wants your old Brita filters!

The filters won't actually be recycled into new filters or other new products. Instead, they will be used as a visual showcase of sorts in order to persuade Clorox, owner of the Brita Products Co. in the U.S., to provide a recycling option for consumers who use their products. After all, Europeans are able to recycle their filters. According to the Take Back the Filter campaign website, "the original European Brita GmbH company has created a take-back recycling program for its filter cartridges."

So far, the campaign's attracted many supporters -- including the Bay area chapter of Sierra Club, which wrote a letter to Clorox (PDF) urging a filter recycling program. Beth Terry of Fake Plastic Fish, who initiated the campaign, even dressed up as a Brita filter to participate in the popular Bay to Breakers event in San Francisco.

There is actually a way for you to reuse at least part of your Brita filter, as this Instructables article -- "How to refill a 'disposable' Brita brand water pitcher filter with activated carbon" -- points out. The process isn't exactly easy, however. "All that you will need is an old cartridge, some activated carbon, a polyethylene plug, a sharp utility knife or Xacto knife," reads the beginning of the article, as if most households have activated carbon laying around. Excepting the old cartridge, I have none of those things, much less the optional 1/2" drill motor and 1/2" drill bit.

So for now, I'll be sending my used Brita filters to the Take Back the Filter campaign. You can mail them to Take Back The Filter, 5245 College Avenue, Box #815, Oakland, CA 94618.

And if you feel so moved, sign the "Take Back the Filter" petition -- and maybe even write a letter to Clorox executives. Filter buyers are, after all, Clorox's repeat customers. Let your consumer demands be known.

Image and photo courtesy of Take Back the Filter

Comments

[Jennifer]

What about PUR filters? Do they take those too?

[eCycle Group]

Way to go! I'm excited to track the responses. A few dedicated citizens...

Also, kudos to the Bay Area Sierra Club.

http://www.ecyclegroup.com

[de DEAN]

Forget the Brita filters- they do not get out all the harmful stuff in your water anyway- switch to a distiller and you will have no need for Brita- and your water will be better, cleaner and cheaper!

[Christine Beatty]

The Pur filtration system, which attaches to the faucet, is much more effective than the Brita and removes even Cryptosporidium microbes and lead from the water. I just wish it had a recycling program. Perhaps the Sierra Club could take them on too?

[Beth Terry]

Also, in terms of refilling the cartridges, the filter material in a BRITA cartridge is more than just activated charcoal. That's just half of it. There's also something called ion exchange resin which removes things that the charcoal doesn't, and you wouldn't get that component if you refilled it yourself.

I'm NOT advertising for BRITA. I just want people to be informed before they try home surgery on their filters!

Thanks for writing about the campaign!

Beth