ASK
Does it really need to be recycled? Perhaps your gadget could be fixed – find a blender mender. Could you donate it to a charity? Pass it on to someone you know? Or could you sell your unwanted blender?
Recycling blenders
Is your unused blender cluttering up the kitchen cupboard? Time to give recycling a spin – or donate your unwanted kitchenware to someone else.
How to recycle an old blender
It’s as easy as ABC
BAG IT
If your blender needs to go, find a box or bag that you can use to stash all your old electrical bits and pieces until you next visit the recycling centre – or until collection day if you have one.
CHECK
Find your nearest recycling point. Simply enter your postcode in our recycling locator. And off you go.
Where can you recycle a kitchen blender?
Pick the option that suits you – or pick and mix
In store
Thousands of shops across the UK will now recycle your old food processor for you when you buy a new one from them. Some retailers take back all old electricals for recycling or refurbishment, even if you’re not buying something new.
Where to recycle your blender
Easy! Find your nearest electrical recycling collection or drop-off point by simply entering your postcode in our handy locator.
With your recycling collection
Some councils collect electricals for recycling – either with your regular waste collection or by special arrangement. Contact your council or check their website to find out. Use our recycling locator.
Your local recycling centre
All household waste and recycling centres have drop-off points for electricals. Some also have an area for items that can be refurbished to be passed on – in case your food mixer could go to a new cook.
Recycling banks
Some supermarkets, car parks and designated roadside areas have electrical recycling drop-off points, or ‘bring banks’. Be sure to check if your nearest can take items like large food blenders.
SHOCKING FACT
2.1 million defibrillators
That’s how many life-saving devices could be made from the 2.4 million blenders sitting idle in UK kitchens.
Old electricals contain valuable materials that can be salvaged and made into something amazing. Go on – give yours a new lease of life.
Blender disposal – frequently asked questions
Can I put my old blender in the bin?
No. Like anything with a plug, battery or cable, blenders should be recycled. But if it works, check out the options for repairing, donating or selling yours first.
What does the crossed-out bin icon on my blender mean?
The crossed-out wheelie bin indicates hazardous waste and so you mustn’t put the product in the general waste bin. We should dispose of electrical and electronic appliances properly to avoid polluting the environment and to save some of the planet’s most valuable resources from being lost forever.
Is it OK to leave my old blender out on the street for someone to pick up?
If you’ve arranged for it to be picked up by your local council or collection service to be disposed of properly, then that’s okay. But don’t just just leave electrical goods on the pavement – it can lead to valuable and hazardous materials not being managed properly, and it’s considered to be flytipping.
Contact your council, charities or social enterprises in the area to see if they collect electricals. If you’re buying a new blender, the retailer must take your old one back.
Find your nearest drop-off or collection point for electricals by entering your postcode in our recycling locator.
What happens to an old broken blender if you recycle it?
When your blender – or any other electricals – reaches a recycling centre it might be assessed to see if it can be passed on. If it’s beyond use, it will be broken down mechanically and by hand. The fragments are sorted into the various materials such as metals and plastics, and are cleaned. Then they go for further processing so that they can be reused in new products or materials. Watch our video on How electricals are recycled.
Is it up to me to take my old food mixer to the dump to be recycled?
If you can, then taking your unwanted mixer to your nearest waste and recycling centre is an option (check ahead for opening times and rules). But if this isn’t convenient, see “Who will collect my old blender?”, below.
Who will collect my old food blender?
Your council, charities and reuse organisations might collect from your doorstep or a designated spot near your home. Some provide this service for free, but others will charge. You could hire a licensed waste disposal firm to take your electrical appliances away; this might be an option if you’re having a clear-out. You could also sell your old food blender via peer-to-peer marketplaces such as eBay and Gumtree, or offer it free on Freecycle or Freegle, where you can ask the new owner to collect it themselves.
Do charity shops take food processors?
Some charity shops welcome electricals such as kitchen appliances that are in good working order. See our page on donating electricals to charity shops.
Where can I recycle a blender that I’m replacing?
Find your nearest reuse and recycling point using our recycling locator. Or, if you’re shopping, bear in mind that retailers now take back old electricals when you’re buying new – that includes old blenders. You have 28 days to hand your old one over for disposal from the time you buy your new product. Some larger stores will recycle your old appliance even if you’re not buying from them. It’s easier than ever to recycle food mixers – find out more on appliance recycling at retailers.
Find your nearest recycling point
Put in your postcode to find recycling and reuse centres near you
