Recycling BRITA filters

Whether as 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 in our household water filter cartridges and other valuable materials for the best water filter experience. 

That's why we started recycling our filter back in 1992. In this way, we conserve resources and protect the environment at the same time.

"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. 

The BRITA recycling programme has become established in many European countries such as Germany, England, 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 other countries, such as Australia and New Zealand, water filter cartridges are not transported to Germany to reduce our carbon footprint. Instead, we have partnered with Terracycle to find ways to recycle your BRITA MAXTRA+ filter locally.