How To Recycle Your Old Radiator

How To Recycle Your Old Radiator

Once you decide it’s time to move on from your current radiator, what do you do with it? If you’ve renovated your living room and fitted a shiny new vertical radiator, you might think your only option is to bin it. However, there are actually ways you can recycle it and do your bit towards saving the planet. Keep reading to find out just how easy it can be!

• Conventional Radiators

Standard radiators can normally be recycled, but that doesn’t mean they’re able to go into your recycling bin. You’ll need to contact your local council to find out where your closest household waste recycling centre is. Sometimes they might be able to collect the radiator and take it to the plant, but other times you might need to take it there yourself. If you have a cast iron radiator, you might be able to take it to a scrap metal centre instead. They might be able to take it off your hands as radiators contain a lot of useful metals and they might even pay you for it. You always want to make sure that before you try removing a radiator for recycling you bleed it completely first so it’s free of any water. Some radiators will also have a plastic sheet covering them and it may need to be removed before they can be recycled, so make sure you double-check this with the centre before taking it there. But some scrap centres will take it with the sheet, so depending on which option you go for, you may need to do some extra work to it before recycling.   

• Electric Radiators

Electric radiators have to be handled differently from conventional ones as the components are completely unique. If you don’t dispose of an electrical radiator properly, it could end up in a landfill. These radiators can also contain dangerous fluids that could leak out and contaminate the area around them, so it’s crucial you recycle them properly. The best way to ensure this is to speak to your local council as they’ll be able to confirm the most suitable method of disposal.  

• Alternative Options

If you’re simply changing your radiators for stylistic reasons and not because they’re broken, you could actually re-home them instead. Recycling does take a lot of energy and sometimes it might not be possible. So, if you want to avoid it ending up in a landfill, why not sell it to someone else who needs it. If you’re particularly handy, you may be able to repurpose them yourself too. However, if you’re dealing with an electric radiator, it’s probably best to leave it to the professionals as they can be slightly more hazardous.    

Recycling radiators is a lot easier than you think and it can make a massive difference to the environment. So, before you throw yours out, make sure you check if it can be recycled. If not, there are other options available that don’t end up with it in a landfill. Re-homing or repurposing are two other brilliant ways you can save your radiator and reduce your carbon footprint.  

Guest Article.