DE blade disposal

New boy here, sent by Sam Tellig at Stereophile. I decided to take his advice for beginners and order a 38c, Israeli blades and some Proraso cream. While waiting for it all to arrive - and sorry if this has been asked before - I'm wondering whether the blades can be recycled.

My local Council (London, UK) recycling bag speaks only of 'cans, tins and empty aerosols'. Is there somewhere they can be sent or dropped off, like printer cartridges?

My Mach 3 cartridges have been going via the general household waste to, no doubt, landfill in West Africa or beyond, but I sense a rapid increase in the amount of metal I get through. (I used to get a month's use out of the cartridges, so didn't feel too bad about them!)

They're viewed as medical sharps here in Ireland and not something I'd just
throw out with the usual rubbish.

I picked up a kids money box, it's like an oversized tin can with a slot in the
top that takes used blades perfectly. The only way to open it is with a tin
opener so it keeps old blades safely away from all. As it's twice the height
of your typical tin of beans it'll easily hold a couple of years blades.
I picked it up for €2 in a newsagents, check your local pound shop for similar.

When the tin is full I'll dispose of it intact.

It hadn't occurred to me that they might be classified as medical sharps - doh! I work in a hospital, so will speak to someone. (Knowing how things work, though, I wouldn't be surprised if they still end up in landfill!)

You can make your own blade bank from a tin can - instructions are here.

Tin cans are primarily steel; once you've filled your bank with blades (also steel) you should be able to put it in the recycling bag; it will then get sorted along with all the other steel things and off to the plant for processing and reuse.

I'm even newer but don't most blade packages come with a handy slot in the back to insert used blades? My medicine cabinet doesn't have the slot that many used to have. I always wondered about how many blades were inside the wall in dad's medicine cabinet.

Covertjy said:

I'm even newer but don't most blade packages come with a handy slot in the back to insert used blades? My medicine cabinet doesn't have the slot that many used to have. I always wondered about how many blades were inside the wall in dad's medicine cabinet.

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Depends. Not all of them do. The less expensive blades don't.

I have several blade banks. You often get them free. Both Classic Shaving and Lees Razors have sent me free blade banks with my order. I personally don't see any problem with recycling blades. So when my bank is full it will go in with the recycling. If any microbes can live through the steel being melted down and reused they DESERVE to take over the earth!

Use a mineral water soda can that hasnt been opened. Remove the opener thingie without opening the can, and with a sharp knife make a slot just big enough to accept a blade. Shake and hold upside down and the bubbles drive the water out. Fancy up the can to look pretty (I used a bit of spraypaint) and you're set.

When its full, which takes a year or more, simply tape the slot shut, write Used Razor Blades on it and hand it over to metal recycling.

Sweeney Todd said:

I picked up a kids money box, it's like an oversized tin can with a slot in the
top that takes used blades perfectly. The only way to open it is with a tin
opener so it keeps old blades safely away from all. As it's twice the height
of your typical tin of beans it'll easily hold a couple of years blades.
I picked it up for €2 in a newsagents, check your local pound shop for similar.

When the tin is full I'll dispose of it intact.

Click to expand...

My solution too, but I doubt I get it full in my lifetime; the thing is huge !

talibeard said:

My solution too, but I doubt I get it full in my lifetime; the thing is huge !

Click to expand...

Note to self, filling the tin is not a target

I think it was RabidPotatoChip that suggested snapping them in half lengthwise, then shoving them into your ears.

It's been working out well for me.

West Coast Shaving and Ems Place sell blade banks for $1.00. I bought 5 blade banks when I started DE shaving in December and have not come close to filling one blade bank yet despite shaving every day. Once full, the blade bank can go in with the recycling.

Fnord5 said:

I think it was RabidPotatoChip that suggested snapping them in half lengthwise, then shoving them into your ears.

It's been working out well for me.

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Try eating them. They taste great with ketchup!

I would thread barbed wire through the slots, and wear them as a punk necklace.

BullGoose said:

West Coast Shaving and Ems Place sell blade banks for $1.00. I bought 5 blade banks when I started DE shaving in December and have not come close to filling one blade bank yet despite shaving every day. Once full, the blade bank can go in with the recycling.

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That's the blade bank I use (I believe they're actually made by Feather); I got mine from Classic Shaving the better part of a year ago, and have yet to fill it (shaving on average four days a week, with a high of six and a low of three). When it's finally full, I'll simply toss it in with the rest of my metal recycling (note to the person concerned about the blades being a potential hazard to those processing the materials for recycling: you should see some of the other sharp metal objects that end up in the mix!). I'll buy another blade bank just before this one fills up; I'll probably need to put in an order for another tub or two of shaving cream by then, anyway.


- Barrett

I put mine in an empty coffee can. Once the can is full I plan to crimp the top of it closed tight and then toss the thing into the recycling. It'll get melted down and put to good use once again I imagine.

In a pinch, a mint tin will serve. Just be sure to tape it up when you recycle it.

I just use a empty jar with metal top....... it works......

I use plastic coffee creamer containers. Just heat up a knife, slice through top, and presto..... a cheap but safe razor disposal.

Covertjy said:

<snip> My medicine cabinet doesn't have the slot that many used to have. I always wondered about how many blades were inside the wall in dad's medicine cabinet.

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We are in a newish house (4 years). The new medicine cabinets have slot areas to cut out (plastic is thinner) to dispose of blades. That's what I use.

Steve

Well, i keep them in an old pill bottle, and empty them out in the medical sharps box each time i go to the gym, well when the bottle gets full !