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What Can I Recycle at Home Depot? Facts & FAQs
Codee Chessher
Last updated:
Numerous retailers have recycling programs, and Home Depot has one of the most robust. They’ve partnered with Trex, a composite decking manufacturer, to collect plastic and convert it into decking material. Another partner they have is Call2Recycle, which recycles old lithium-ion batteries. Some other products you can recycle at Home Depot are compact fluorescent light bulbs, also known as CFL bulbs, and lead-acid car batteries.
Recycling is one of the biggest ways regular folks can make a difference in helping the environment by reducing waste and the number of disposable products that make their way into landfills. Another important part of recycling is making sure that people don’t recycle non-recyclable items, as that can increase waste and expose the earth to toxic chemicals.
By recycling disposable and worn-out items, you can help create new products composed largely of recycled material. Many beverage companies are making their bottles out of recycled plastic, and some lithium-ion batteries can be used to make new batteries. Even when a product isn’t fully recyclable, some elements can usually be recycled. More importantly, responsible recycling keeps toxic chemicals out of the earth so that we can continue to enjoy a clean planet.
How Does Home Depot Recycling Work?
The recycling process at Home Depot varies based on what you want to recycle. Let’s take a look at how exactly to recycle items at Home Depot.
Image Credit: Oxana Melis, Unsplash
How to Recycle at Home Depot:
Batteries should first be wrapped in a plastic bag to prevent leaking, then placed in the Call2Recycle bin.
Cardboard should be placed into the cardboard bin.
CFL bulbs should be wrapped in a plastic bag to prevent leaking, then placed into the CFL bin.
Plastic bags should be placed in the plastic bin.
If you’re unsure what bins correspond to what recyclables, feel free to ask a Home Depot associate. It’s better to ask than risk putting your items in the wrong bins.
What Does Home Depot Not Recycle?
Unfortunately, Home Depot doesn’t offer recycling programs for all recyclable items and materials. In such cases, you’ll need to find an alternative recycling or disposal solution. Let’s check out what you can’t recycle at Home Depot, and how to recycle or dispose of them.
Image Credit: QualityHD, Shutterstock
What Home Depot Doesn’t Recycle:
Old or Leftover Paint: To dispose of paint, you can try giving it away to a friend or neighbor or opt to dispose of it at a hazardous disposal site.
Cell Phones: Many other retailers offer cell phone recycling programs, including Walmart. The components are usually recycled to make new phones.
Computers: The best place to try to recycle computers is Best Buy or another electronics retailer. These stores will recycle or repurpose old computer components.
Eyeglasses: Many opticians’ offices have an eyeglass recycling bin, and the material is used to make new glasses and frames.
Chemical Cleaners: Chemicals, including bleach and ammonia-based products, should never be thrown in the trash. Instead, opt to take these products to a hazardous disposal site, or consider giving them away to others.
Food: Food can be used to enrich compost for gardening, or you can simply throw it away. For best results, remove any plastic or cardboard packaging first.
Leaves and Lawn Clippings: These can be left directly on your lawn to safely decompose, or you can put them in separate trash bags from your household trash.
Home Depot offers recycling programs for several household items, including lithium-ion batteries, plastic bags, and cardboard. For more information on how Home Depot recycling programs work, consider calling or visiting your local store.
Featured Image Credit: Jonathan Weiss, Shutterstock
Writer
Codee Chessher
Codee Chessher is a freelance writer with extensive knowledge on a variety of subjects that include travel, sound engineering, automotive, DIY, pets, and more. He has a colorful past that includes building schools and commercial driving, but the written word was always his first love. He believes there's nothing a well-worded sentence can't accomplish.When not writing, Codee enjoys epic fantasy novels, home DIY projects, and memorizing useless pop culture trivia. He has lived in Florida, Georgia, Texas, and North Carolina. Most recently, he resides in northern Mexico.
Codee Chessher
