Can You Recycle Cutlery? How Exactly Can You Recycle Flatware? 🍴

Can You Recycle Cutlery? 🍴: We may know metal as one of the most recyclable materials there is. But, is the same true for metal cutlery (or flatware) such as spoons, forks and knives? Can we throw them down the recycling bin? Read this blog to learn more about the recyclability of cutlery. 

You certainly do not need to be a Michelin star chef to want to have the best knives and other cutlery in your kitchen. Not only does it make cooking much easier, but it also looks more pleasing to the eyes and give you a sense of fulfilment when using it. It certainly pays to have good and beautiful cutlery!

But, like any other item we use in our daily lives, they will eventually become too old and unusable in the future. How can we dispose of metal cutlery, then? Can we throw them in our recycling bin when the time comes? How can we recycle our cutlery? Below, Waster will discuss everything you need to know about metal cutlery recycling.

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>Download Now: Free PDF Business Owners Guide To Commingled Recycling Bin Services

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A bit about Waster

Is flatware recyclable? Before we discuss that, let me share more information about Waster.

We here at Waster provide you with innovative solutions for your and your business’s waste management and recycling needs. Additionally, we provide flexible, 30-day contracts instead of the typical lock-in contracts, which proves to be better.

Click on the blue button to learn more.

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READ: What happens when recycling is contaminated? ♻️

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Yes, you can recycle cutlery. But…

The answer to the question is yes. Indeed, you can recycle your old and unusable cutlery. But the thing is that you cannot just simply throw them in your recycling bin for a reason – because of the danger it poses.  To exactly answer the question, metal cutlery is usually not accepted in a local council’s kerbside recycling or residual bin. So basically, metal items you can put in your kerbside recycling bin includes steel and aluminium cans, which you should first clean.

However, as we have mentioned above, materials made of mostly metal have other recycling options they can go to. It should be duly noted that we must avoid, as much as possible, throwing them in our general waste bins and send them to one of the Australian landfills, depending on where you live.

The best possible way is to find transfer stations so that your cutlery can be recycled or reused for free. Check out our blog on Tip Near Me to find the best possible transfer stations for your metal waste. Also, you can contact your local recycling companies and see if they accept metal cutlery. If they do accept your cutlery, they will usually melt and recycle them.

Other disposal options you can do to recycle your cutlery

There are other options that you can do aside from dropping them off or searching recycling options for cutlery or flatware. Below, we give you some options instead of throwing away your metal cutlery and sending them to landfill.

1. Check the status of your cutlery.

You usually would not have any other problems with spoons and forks unless they break and become unusable or grow old. However, the same cannot be said for kitchen knives. The blade of the knife over time becomes filled with rust, bent or blunt.

You might think that because of that happening, you will have to throw them out and buy a new one. Do not immediately come to that conclusion and check the status of your knives. Simply put, will it easily be fixed by a knife sharpener? If so, then buy a sharpener and maintain your knives. Also, you have the option of going to an expert to fix your knife if the damage is too severe for you to handle yourself. This is especially useful for people whose knives have sentimental value to them. If all else fails, then go back to sending them off to recycling companies and let your cutlery be recycled.

2. Sell or donate them, instead.

Maybe you do not have very old or unusable cutlery. Instead, you just want to improve your kitchen and buy new ones. What should you do with your current, still very usable cutlery, then? You can recycle your cutlery in the form of selling or donating them.

Depending on your cutlery’s quality, you will find donating them to shops or charity locally as the best option. There are also buyers for your cutlery even if they are rusty as they can be sold as scrap metal.

If trying to recycle your cutlery fails, then…

Maybe for some reason, you cannot do the options to recycle above, and instead, want to just throw your cutlery away in your rubbish bin. Even though Waster would strongly recommend against it, we would not want to control you and leave the decision up to you. With that said, you have to throw it away safely. Knives, in particular, can seriously injure waste sorters due to their sharpness. Never mind if you think your knives are too blunt to be used now and want to dispose of them – it can still injure unsuspecting workers.

How can you safely throw cutlery away?

The answer: you just have to make sure to wrap it tightly and label the wrapping so the workers can anticipate what type of item you have wrapped up. Just remember to not wrap it in transparent plastic that is easy to break and instead wrap it in strong, durable materials such as clothing wrap, bubble wrap or cardboard wrap.

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As mentioned above, Waster would still want you to recycle them and so, strongly recommend against this.

Contact Waster today

Are you a business in need of waste and recycling bin services?

If so, please call 1300 WASTER (1300 927 837), or email us at [email protected] if you have any further questions and find the best deals in terms of pricing and services.