Several hands clap together

Recycling BRITA filters

Together for the environment

Whether it’s packaging for our food, in our kitchen appliances or in our cars, it's impossible to imagine our everyday life without plastic. After all, plastic is very practical as it weighs little and is easy to shape. At BRITA, we also work with plastics, whether it’s in our household water filter cartridges or in our Professional Filters for our business partners.

In addition to plastic, we work with other valuable materials for the best water filter experience. That's why we started recycling our filter back in 1992. This way, we conserve resources and protect the environment at the same time.

The BRITA recycling programme - est. 1992

"Why should we leave the recycling of our water filter to others when we can do it ourselves together with our partners?" That's what BRITA founder Heinz Hankammer asked when he launched the recycling programme for BRITA water filter cartridges in 1992. At that time, this was genuinely pioneering work!

No sooner said than done: since then, water filter cartridges brought to BRITA headquarters in Germany have been separated in the company's own facility and processed for recycling. We also regenerate the filter material ourselves and use it again in new water filter cartridges – truly closing the material loop. 

Learn how our in-house recycling programme works using the most important components of BRITA water filter cartridges.

Parts of shredded cartridges in a hand

Plastic Casing

The plastic casing is first shredded on site and then collected by partner companies. They clean and separate the plastic and grind it into granules. The plastics industry can then use this to produce new plastic parts.

Activated carbon in a box

Activated carbon

The activated carbon is returned to activated carbon suppliers. They reprocess it and use it again for various filter processes, for example, in wastewater treatment.

Ion exchanger in a hand

Ion exchanger

In our own plant, the ion exchanger is regenerated and added to new filter cartridges. This means that new BRITA filter cartridges can contain regenerated ion exchangers – with the same quality and performance. That is truly sustainable!

BRITA water filter cartridge recycling in 75 seconds

Would you like to know how recycling works for your BRITA water filter cartridge? Our video shows how it works using the MAXTRA cartridge as an example.

Animated globe with white BRITA logo

Very clever and fantastic for the environment: thanks to the BRITA recycling programme, almost all components of the BRITA water filter cartridges can be recycled and returned to the material cycle.

Recycling of BRITA water filter cartridges worldwide

The BRITA recycling programme has become established in many European countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands. In cooperation with many trade partners, BRITA water filter cartridges are collected and brought to our headquarters in Germany. In Asia water filter cartridges are not transported to Germany. Instead we work with partner companies to enable filter recycling locally.

Find your local recycling point

Click on the button below to search for your closest recycling point by entering your postcode.

We need your approval

This content is provided by Google Maps. By enabling this content, your personal data may be processed by the vendor and cookies may be set.

BRITA Store Locator

Search to find a stockist with recycling facilities below, please note unfortunately it is out of our control if a retailer chooses to relocate or remove the recycling unit. We do work hard to ensure our recycling locator is kept as up to date as possible.

Searching...
Sorry, we couldn’t locate any stockists nearby. Please try again by entering another postal code or city.
Filtration scheme of MAXTRA PRO ALL-IN-1

Filtration in a nutshell

1. Super-fine mesh captures coarse particles from old pipework

2. Natural microcarbon from coconut shells

  • Reduces chlorine, filters substances that affect taste
  • Filters trace impurities such as certain herbicides, pesticides and pharmaceuticals1
  • Provides great-tasting, freshly filtered water

3. Powerful ion-exchange pearls

  • Soften water
  • Protect your appliances2
  • Reduce metals such as lead and copper

4. Additional high-performance filter mesh

A child holds a little plant in its hands

Certified: BRITA's bio-based plastic

Bio-based plastics are made entirely or partially from renewable, biological sources such as crops and plants. We only use bio-based plastic that has been certified by the globally recognised ISCC PLUS label (mass balance approach), and we ensure that our bio-based plastic comes from sources that do not compete with food production.  

Mass balance is a method in which bio-based materials are mixed with fossil materials during the production process and then added to the final product. In this way, we significantly reduce our carbon footprint and the consumption of conventional plastic.

BRITA production plant in Bad Camberg / Germany

BRITA production plant in Bad Camberg / Germany: This is where BRITA water filter cartridges are produced, including regenerated ion exchangers.