Your Recycled Filters

Quick answer: Yes, Epic water filters can be recycled, and we make it worth your while. Save up your used filters, email us before shipping to get a Recycling Reference Number, then mail them in. We recycle them responsibly through TerraCycle, and as a thank you we send you a free replacement filter. Full details and terms live on our Recycling Program page.

Can water filter cartridges be recycled?

They can, but not through your curbside bin. A used water filter is two different disposal problems in one small package. The outer shell is rigid plastic that most municipal recycling programs will not accept, and the filtration media inside is full of exactly what you filtered out of your water: the contaminants it spent months capturing. Toss a spent cartridge in the trash and both the plastic and those captured contaminants head to a landfill.

That is why we run a dedicated recycling program instead of telling you to check with your local recycling center and hoping for the best. It is not the easiest product category to recycle, which is exactly why we wanted a safe, reliable way to do it.

How Epic's filter recycling program works

The program is three steps, and the reward is a free filter. Here is the short version; the Recycling Program page has the complete terms.

Step 1: Save your filters

Collect your used filters until you have enough to send: 4 Pure filters, 4 Nano filters, 4 Everyday filters, or 4 Outdoor filters, or 3 Smart Shield filters, 3 Fridge filters, or 3 Sediment filters. The batch should be the same filter type.

Step 2: Email us first, before you ship

Email support@epicwaterfilters.com (or use the chat bubble on our site) and tell us which filter model you are recycling, your Epic order numbers, how many filters you are sending, your current shipping address, and which free filter you would like. We will confirm you qualify, reserve your free replacement, and reply with your personal Recycling Reference Number (it looks like EP-R-12345) plus the mailing address.

Step 3: Mail your filters and claim your reward

Write your Recycling Reference Number clearly on the outside of the box and on a slip inside. Send only the unwrapped, unboxed filters themselves: no bubble wrap, no original filter boxes or bags, no packing peanuts. As soon as your box arrives, we recycle your old filters and release your free replacement filter right away.

What happens to your recycled filters

We use TerraCycle's Zero Waste Box for filters. When your filters arrive, they go into our Zero Waste Box. Once the box is full, it ships to TerraCycle and they send us a fresh one, so the cycle keeps going.

TerraCycle handles each part of the filter appropriately. The plastic casing that protects the filtration media is broken down and turned into plastic that can be reused. The filtration media gets special attention because it holds the contaminants your filter captured, so those contaminants are disposed of responsibly instead of ending up back in soil and water supplies. That second part is the point: recycling a filter properly means dealing with what is inside it, not just the shell.

If you are curious what else in your home can be recycled this way, TerraCycle's recycling programs cover a wide range of hard-to-recycle items, from cleaning product packaging to office supplies.

Program terms at a glance

• Email us before shipping to get your Recycling Reference Number.
• Send the same filter type and the required quantity (4 of most filters, 3 of the larger ones).
• You cover the postage; we cover the free replacement filter.
• Filters only, with no original packaging or padding in the box.
• The program is currently US only. We are looking into recycling options for customers abroad.

The bottom line

Filtering your tap water already keeps single-use plastic bottles out of circulation. Recycling the filter itself closes the loop, and getting a free filter for doing it is a fair trade. Start on the Recycling Program page when your used filters pile up. And if you are replacing filters anyway, the Pure XP pitcher was designed with waste in mind: its replaceable inner cartridge lets you keep the outer filter housing, reducing plastic waste by up to 75 percent, and each filter helps replace over 1,000 single-use plastic bottles. You can stock up in our replacement filters collection.

Related reading

• Are Plastic Water Bottles Giving You Microplastics?
• Why Is Dasani Water Bad For You?
• How Much Does Water Weigh?

Sources

• TerraCycle: TerraCycle Recycling Programs
• Epic Water Filters: Recycling Your Filter program page

TerraCycle is a registered trademark of its respective owner. This article is for educational purposes and is not medical advice.