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How to dispose of razor blades | A Blade blank is the answer

How to dispose of razor blades with a Blade Bank

How to dispose of razor blades

After your first few safety razor shaves it's time to switch out the double edge blade.  It's not a good idea to just throw the razor blade in the garbage.  Who knows where it will end up and the last thing we need is used razor blades scattered in city streets or laying around in landfills. 

 

Can you recycle razor blades?

Unless a recycling center explicitly states that they accept razor blades or other sharp objects then do not place your blades in your recycling.  
Doing so poses a risk to the people handling recycling and can render an entire batch of recyclable object useless if sharp objects such as razor blades are found mixed in.
 
Finding a place to accept the old blades can be a bit challenging depending on where you live.  There are mail in services that do accept blades.
Until finding a place to dispose the razor blades a blade bank is the answer that will keep your blades safe for a year or more.

 

What is a Blade Bank?  

Blade = Double Edge Razor Blade + Bank = Instead of depositing money in the bank you deposit razor blades.

It's simply a small container that is used to dispose of old safety razor blades.  Most people will use a double edge blade for 3-5 shaves and then replace it with a new one.  The Blade Bank provides storage for the old used blades for a long period of time until you can take them in for recycling.

Where to buy a Blade Bank

Finding a blade bank in a store like Walmart or other retailers is not an easy chore.  You'll have better luck at a speciality men's grooming store or through an online retailer such as Amazon

The blade banks are usually made from hard plastic or metal and will cost around $5.  The most common banks are by feather and Muhle.

 

DIY Blade Bank ideas


For the DIY er type you might resort to creating your own.  It's relatively simple to build a DIY blade bank from everyday household products and will cost less than any commercial version.  

Be careful when creating a DIY version because you need a safe way to store the blades not just any old place to store them.  If you have kids or grandchildren running around the house make sure you consider the safety factor of the Blade Bank.

Don't use something that might pique the interest of child. The last thing you want is a kid to find a shiny object interesting and end up hurting themselves.

Here are the most common Do It Yourself versions.

 

blade bank

Used pill container

Pros - The safety mechanism is built into the container, if you have a used pill container around the house then you have a free blade bank, It's easy to store

Cons - Doesn't hold as many blades as alternative DIY versions, It's a hassle opening while disposing your old blades.

Upgrade - If you like this option it's easy enough to print out a label of your choice to wrap around the bottle.  This will improve the aesthetics and make sure you don't mistake your blades for pills.

diy blade bank dispose of razor blades

Altoids Container

Pros - Cheap enough to buy if you don't have one already, holds many many blades (too many for me to count).  They are easy to open and looks better than a pill bottle

Cons - Not very safe for people that have children in the house

Upgrade - Super Glue the lid down and cut a small slot in the top to dispose the blades.  This improves the safety factor.

How did people dispose of razor blades in the past?

Razor Blades in wall

It's not an uncommon sight for someone remodeling a home to find a wall stuffed full with razor blades.

Why would anyone put razor blades in a wall?

When Safety razors first became popular almost everyone who shaved used one.  Everyone needed to dispose of them and landfills and garbage service wasn't all that common.

The solution was cutting a hole in the wall.  Usually behind a mirror to conceal it and when you were done with an old razor blade it was dropped in the wall.  

Over the years the walls have been sealed up and when someone starts a bathroom remodel on an older home they often find the old collection of razor blades in the wall.

Resources

Disposing razor blades in the City of Denver

Disposing razor blades in NYC

Regardless of what idea you choose it's better than disposing in your trash can.  Once you fill your DIY used pill version, the altoids version, or the feather blade bank from Amazon it's time to find a facility that will take them.

Call around to your local scrap yards and ask if they will accept used double edge safety razor blades.  Once you find a place then take the full container there.  You won't need to do this more than a few times a year max.  The result is keeping sharp and dangerous used blades out of landfills.

If you haven't yet ventured into this world you might want to checkout our  Wet Shaving Products  to learn more.



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