Homeowners who are maintaining their HVAC systems as recommended – checking air filters monthly and changing them at least every three months – will go through quite a few air filters. So what to do with all those dirty, clogged, used air filters? Can they be recycled? These are questions that our technicians hear often, and the short answer is that many can, but recycling them is a bit more complicated than tossing them into your curbside recycle bin along with the newspapers, bottles and cans.
About HVAC Filters And Recycling
Depending upon the type and brand of disposable filters you use in your system, the filtering medium may be composed of polyester fibers, fiberglass or paper, and many will have wire mesh within them to provide support to those materials. Most have frames made of cardboard. Given the mix of materials – some easily recycled and some not – they generally cannot be tossed into your household recycling bin.
However, if keeping those air filters out of the landfill is important to you, as it is to many of today’s more environmentally conscious homeowners, there are some specialized recycling air conditioning services available for their disposal. Some organizations offer a mail-in service, where members send used filters to them and, in some cases, receive new ones, made from recycled materials, in return. Others simply accept used filters for recycling, but do not provide or sell air filters to the public. Local HVAC service companies and air filter suppliers may participate in recycling programs as well, collecting used filters from the public to be sent on to specialized recycling centers. You can find these air conditioning services via an internet search, or your own service professional may be able to recommend a local program.
What Are Air Filters Made Of?
The first impulse for most people is to toss an old HVAC air filter into the recycling bin. Especially in the case of residential HVAC filters, they genuinely look and feel as if they should be recyclable. The frames are made of cardboard, and the filter material itself has the texture of fabric or paper. As a result, many homeowners don’t think twice before recycling their used filters. Commercial filters, which are a bit larger and heavier-duty—and are often made of fiberglass and other materials—cause a bit more confusion.
In truth, no furnace filters or air conditioning filters should be going into the bin with the rest of the week’s recycling. While some components of the filter—such as cardboard—are easily recyclable, the filters themselves are complex in construction and include various materials. Depending on the type of filter you are working with, it might be comprised of cardboard, fiberglass, plastic, wire, metal, woven mesh fibers, and more. Cardboard and plastic may be recyclable, but components such as fiberglass or polyester (often part of the filter mesh) are not. Furthermore, there is not a cost-effective way to disassemble HVAC filters, separate the different recyclable components, and make sure those components get where they need to go.
The other factor is all the dust, dirt, and debris captured in the filters. These filters have been used, for months at a time, to keep unwanted contaminants out of the air in your home or building. Just as you don’t want to be breathing in all that debris on a day-to-day basis, no one working in a recycling center wants to release it all into the air either.
For all these reasons, when an HVAC filter gets to the recycling center, you can safely assume that they won’t know what to do with it any better than you do.
Disposing of HVAC Air Filters
So, can air filters be recycled? If you are speaking strictly of city or county recycling policies, then the answer is almost always no. Furnace filters and air conditioning filters are on the “do not recycle” list in most cases, alongside televisions and other electronics. However, just as there are special entities that can recycle electronic devices in a safe, environmentally conscious way, there are also paths you can take to recycle used air filters.
Certain HVAC suppliers or manufacturers will accept used filters and recycle them for customers. You can use the website Recycle Smart to find out if there are filter recycling options near you. Also, there are mail-in recycling air-conditioning-services-in-santa-rosa—such as TerraCycle—that offer eco-friendly ways to dispose of filters. The drawback, unfortunately, is that some of these air conditioning services cost money. Rather than go through the hassle, many homeowners or businesses will simply opt to dispose of their used filters in the trash.
If you do decide to throw old filters away rather than recycling them, take care to make sure you are doing so safely. You don’t want the particles that the filter captured to escape into the air again. Placing the filter in a large plastic bag and sealing it will help prevent additional environmental impact due to filter-captured particles or debris.
If you are still interested in recycling your filters, ask your HVAC technician for recommendations on what to do. An HVAC professional should be able to offer tips based on the type and brand of filter you are using, as well as the construction of your filter and the materials it contains. Your HVAC technician might also be able to recommend a reusable filter for your HVAC system, or at least a more efficient filter than the one you are using. Reusable filters are becoming increasingly common in the HVAC industry, thanks to their significant environmental benefits. These filters are washable and can last for years at a time, so long as they are cared for properly. They come with a bigger upfront investment than disposable filters but can function just as efficiently and deliver a bigger ROI over time.
In any case, you should continue to maintain your HVAC system regularly and vigilantly. Changing out your filters every three months, while it may seem wasteful, is the best practice for ensuring an efficient system and protecting the air quality throughout your home or business. Also, whether you are looking for tips on HVAC maintenance or looking for answers to questions such as “Can air filters be recycled?”, a trusted HVAC technician can help. Calling for an annual HVAC checkup will keep your system operating in top form.
Other Solutions To The Air Filter Pile-Up
If wrapping up dusty old air filters and carting or mailing them off for recycling sounds like a lot of trouble to go through every two or three months, you might find reusable air filters a better option. These filters are more durable than those disposable ones, designed to be washed and reused over and over again. They are much more expensive than disposable ones, but since they can last for several years, they can be quite cost-effective over the long run. Just be sure to consult your HVAC professional to find out which reusable filters are most suitable for your system and follow care instructions carefully to avoid damaging your equipment.
So there you have it, the rundown on how you can keep your HVAC system well-maintained without sending piles of old air filters to the landfill every year. Recycling is definitely an option, although you may have to spend some time making inquiries to find a program in your area, or you can ask your HVAC professional whether reusable air filters are an option for your system. Both are great options for reducing waste without skimping on optimal HVAC system care and maintenance.
“Can air filters be recycled?” In both the residential and commercial sectors, this question tends to come up frequently. Air conditioning and furnace filters need to be changed out regularly to ensure the continued efficiency of an HVAC system and to protect air quality throughout a building. To avoid needless waste, homeowners and business owners are drawn to the idea of recycling these dirty filters. Unfortunately, recycling a filter might a bit more complicated than people typically realize.