How to Dispose of Razor Blades Safely

The short answer: Never throw loose razor blades in the trash. Drop used blades into a blade bank or a sealed metal tin with a slot in the lid. When it's full, tape it shut, label it "used blades," and dispose of it according to your local rules. Some areas accept sealed steel tins in metal recycling, and some don't, so check.

A double edge blade is sharp on both sides, even when it's too dull to shave with. Loose blades in a trash bag can cut whoever handles it next: someone in your house, or a sanitation worker. Disposal takes ten seconds once you have a system.

Option 1: A blade bank

A blade bank is a small metal container with a thin slot in the top. Used blades go in and can't come back out. Most hold a hundred or more blades, which for most people is a year or more of shaving. They're inexpensive and sold by many shaving retailers.

Option 2: Make your own

A sturdy metal tin works just as well. An empty mint tin or a small coffee or tea tin is ideal.

1. Cut a narrow slot in the lid, just wide enough for a blade.
2. Tape the lid shut so it can't pop open.
3. Write "USED RAZOR BLADES" on it.
4. Keep it next to where you shave, so the old blade goes straight in.

Avoid glass jars. They can break in the trash and spread the blades. Avoid thin plastic, which a blade can cut through.

Option 3: Wrap it, in a pinch

If you're traveling or have nothing else, slide the used blade back into its paper wrapper, fold it, and tape it closed. It's not ideal, but it's far better than a loose blade.

When the container is full

• Check your local rules. Some curbside programs accept sealed steel containers with metal recycling. Many don't accept blades at all and ask for them to go in the trash, sealed. Your city or county waste website will say.
• Ask about sharps drop-off. Some pharmacies and local waste facilities accept sharps containers.
• Mail-back programs. Some razor makers have run blade recycling programs, for example through TerraCycle. Check whether one is currently active before relying on it.

Sources include Tools of Men and Mental Floss. Rules vary by location.

Handling blades safely

• Hold blades by the short ends, never the long edges.
• Unwrap new blades over a counter, not in your palm.
• Never wipe a blade with a towel or your fingers.
• Change blades with the razor head pointing away from you.

Why this matters more with a safety razor

A cartridge encases its blades in plastic. A double edge blade is bare steel. That's part of why it shaves so cleanly, and why it deserves a proper home when it's done. On the plus side, one double edge blade is a small piece of steel, a lot less material than a plastic cartridge.

Not sure when a blade is finished? See how often to change safety razor blades.