Don't toss those used razor blades in the trash, they're recyclable! The trick is that small, sharp metals can't just be dropped loosely into your curbside bin. Here's how to recycle your small metals using items you're already tossing in the recycling bin.
The Method
Collect your used blades in a metal can, anything from soda pop to Campbells chicken noodle will work. Once it's full (or you're sick of looking at it), seal the opening shut and toss the whole thing in your curbside recycling bin. The sealed container keeps the blades safely contained, and the entire thing gets recycled together.
To seal the can, you can tape it shut or squeeze the sides together to trap the metal inside. I prefer using a pull-tab can, you can just spin the tab around to cover the opening. And if your metal happens to be rusty it is still recyclable. The rust gets melted off in the recycling process, so don't let that stop you, toss it in all the same.
Why It Matters
Steel Recycling
Steel is one of the most recycled materials on the planet for good reason. Producing new steel from raw materials is enormously energy-intensive, while recycled steel requires significantly less energy and generates far fewer emissions. It's also infinitely recyclable, meaning it never loses quality no matter how many times it's melted down and reused. Every can, blade, or scrap that makes it into the recycling stream instead of a landfill is a small but real contribution to a cleaner, less wasteful production cycle.
Community Care
Recycling bins aren't just emptied by machines, real people are present at every step of the process. Loose sharp items like razor blades are a documented hazard for the waste haulers and sorting facility workers who are on the floor as materials move through the system every day. Sealing blades inside a container before recycling them is a small extra step that takes seconds, but it's a meaningful way to look out for the people in your community who keep the waste system running.
Sources
U.S. EPA: Secondary steel production uses about 74% less energy than production from iron ore
Steel Recycling Institute: Steel is infinitely recyclable and each year the industry conserves enough energy to power roughly 18 million homes
