Brita Filter Cartridges

[Metagirrl]

Do you use a Brita water pitcher or filter?

I'm helping a grassroots movement to help convince Brita to take the filters back for recycling. Apparently they do in Europe, but not here in the US. These are for a project to make a statement to the Clorox company (Parent company of Brita North America) that they need to provide an avenue for recycling of the cartridges.

If you're interested in helping, please save your old cartridges, and send them to Beth at takebackthefilter.org.

You can check out her website about it at

www.takebackthefilter.org

Thanks!


I figure if a couple of guys were able to convince AOL to stop sending out the wasteful free CD's, then maybe we stand a chance at convincing Clorox to consider some extended producer responsibility.

P.S. Pass this along to anyone that uses one... I am collecting filters locally to mail them to the gal who is in charge of the campaign.

[farmergirl]

We use the brita filters, but go through them rather slowly since it's just me and my DH in the household. Could I send them one at a time?

[Metagirrl]

Absolutely! The address is on the website. All they ask is that you use a minimal amount of packaging material... the cartridges aren't going to break, and that will leave less for them to deal with.

Truth be known, I don't use the filters, but I have friends and family who do. I'm lucky enough to live in an area with a decent municipal water supply, and I just can't justify the environmental and financial impact of filtering water that is already acceptable.

Nonetheless, I think it's important that Clorox reconsider their position... especially since they are recycled overseas.

[Murron]

Wow! That's great! I just checked out the site!

DH and I use the Brita filters... I will be sending them along when we are done. Thanks!

[Beeman]

Originally Posted by Metagirrl

Absolutely! The address is on the website. All they ask is that you use a minimal amount of packaging material... the cartridges aren't going to break, and that will leave less for them to deal with.

Truth be known, I don't use the filters, but I have friends and family who do. I'm lucky enough to live in an area with a decent municipal water supply, and I just can't justify the environmental and financial impact of filtering water that is already acceptable.

Nonetheless, I think it's important that Clorox reconsider their position... especially since they are recycled overseas.

Acceptable to who's minimum standards?

[Metagirrl]

Originally Posted by Beeman

Acceptable to who's minimum standards?

Well, mine, of course!

I'm not interested in debating use of the filters... just trying to help forge an avenue for recycling/reuse of them.

[mike3367]

i use them all the time, glad i see this post, ill try to rember to send mine to them.

[genericmail]

Found this-

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-...and-water-pit/


perhaps it will of use to someone.

[Metagirrl]

Originally Posted by genericmail

Found this-

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-...and-water-pit/


perhaps it will of use to someone.

That's a great idea, if you're just interested in using the activated charcoal filter for the pitcher. Unfortunately, there's no comparable method for the carbon block from the faucet-mounted filter.

For those in the UK, here's a link to a company who makes a refillable cartridge that will fit the Brita pitchers.

http://www.naturalcollection.com/nat...vTbySOuA%3d%3d

[Metagirrl]

I wanted to bump this with an update.

Late last summer, I stumbled across a project whose objective was to get Brita to take back their filter cartridges for recycling.

Well, it worked. How about that? Cool, eh?

Brita pitcher filters, along with clean #5 plastics (think butter tubs, yogurt cups, cottage cheese containers, etc) can now be recycled as part of Preserve's Take-5 Campaign. They can be dropped off at participating Whole Foods Store locations, or mailed in.

Plastics collected from the program will be recycled and made into toothbrush handles, cutting boards, razors, and other fun stuff.

http://www.takebackthefilter.org/200...r-filters.html

http://www.preserveproducts.com/gimme5/

This program will only continue and thrive if people use it. So please do. And pass the word along to others.


Don't forget to recycle your compact fluorescent lightbulbs, too. Those can be dropped off at any Home Depot service desk.