Are Ballpoint Pens Recyclable?

Each year, the French pen manufacturer Bic produces around 9 billion stationery pieces. This number includes millions of ballpoint pens, one of the most useful and popular writing tools out there. Unfortunately, most of these pens end up in landfill sites and contribute to global pollution. The only way to prevent this is by recycling these pens at home!

There are many interesting ways to recycle old ballpoint pens to create new, useful tools. Each part of the ballpoint pen is made from a different type of plastic, so the pen sometimes needs to be broken up into its fundamental components before you can send it off to a recycling plant. 

However, if you plan on recycling them yourself at home, you might not need to break them up. 

In this article, we will discuss more on how ballpoint pens can be recycled and share some handy pen-related tips with you.

Why Should We Recycle Ballpoint Pens?

The planet is fast-approaching a point where it cannot take any more pollution, or else the current ecosystem will be severely disrupted. Pollution has many negative side-effects, including climate change, global warming, flooding, and species extinction. None of these are to be taken lightly.

If you can play a part in saving the environment, you definitely should. 

When most people think about “saving the environment,” they assume the need for grand gestures. However, this is not always true. Change begins in the home, and if you can do your part and recycle old materials, then you are indeed saving the planet in your own way.

Ballpoint pens are one of the most common things to be thrown out without much consideration. Each year, the USA alone sees 1.6 billion pens tossed into the trash, which is why the urgency of recycling these pens has never been more valid.

There are many corporations and plants that will accept your old ballpoint pens for recycling purposes. But before you can donate to these places, you should know what types of plastics these pens are made of because, due to its unique chemical composition, each plastic is recycled in a different way.

What Are Ballpoint Pens Made Of?

Ballpoint pens are typically made from two types of plastic:

  1. Polystyrene: Found in the pen’s body/outer casing
  2. Polypropylene: Found in the pen’s inner cartridge (this is where the ink is stored) 
ballpoint pens

The pen’s tip and spring are metal, but those are seldom considered when it comes to recycling. 

Most local recycling plants do not accept ballpoint pens as they lack the appropriate resources to recycle them. However, suppose you manage to find a place that will recycle the pens. In that case, they will first ask you to disassemble the pen and submit either part (the outer casing and the inner cartridge) separately because they are made from two different types of plastic. 

Doing all this can feel like a tedious task, which is why many people choose to recycle their pens at home instead.

How To Recycle Ballpoint Pens

Recycling old ballpoint pens is a great idea. Not only will this help the environment, but it can also help you achieve a purpose you had in mind with the use of simple products lying around at home.

Here are some interesting ideas to use when recycling old ballpoint pens by yourself:

  1. Turn Old Ballpoints Into Cat Toys

Do you have a cat (or any pet that loves to play)? If so, you must be tired of seeing them play with your furniture to the point of destruction. Luckily, there is a way to avoid this. If you want your cat to stop scratching at your belongings, try giving her a toy instead! 

Store-bought toys are expensive and add to the planet’s plastic pollution levels (which are already ridiculously high). Instead, why not try making a cat toy by yourself. Take an old ballpoint pen and remove the interior parts from it. Then, tie a string or some bells to it and watch your cat play with it!

  1. Use Old Ballpoints For DIY Crafts

If you’re the creative type (or an art teacher), why not try to incorporate old ballpoints into your crafts? You can try making all kinds of things by gluing the pens together. 

If you have enough pens, you can try to stick them together to form a tube-like structure. Just remember to seal it at the bottom with a suitable material, and you have yourself an upcycled jar or container that you can use for storage purposes.

This recycling method works better if you have a collection of old pens. If you teach art to students, why not ask them to bring in their old ballpoint pens and use them to create a class craft project? 

  1. Turn Old Ballpoints Into Plant Starter Sticks

Any gardening fan will know that new seedlings often need to cling to something in order to grow upright. Luckily, old ballpoint pens make the perfect plant starter sticks to use in this situation!

Try planting your old ballpoint pens next to your freshly planted seeds or blooming saplings, and watch them grow taller with the help of these old pens. 

If you can’t recycle them at home, consider sending the pens off to someone who will. Some of the world’s most prestigious academic institutions have their very own pen recycling programs on campus. Yale, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of California-Davis are popular examples. 

If your neighborhood lacks such programs, consider setting one up yourself. You can ask people from your local schools, workplaces, and community centers to collect pen drives and send them off to a larger institute that can recycle the pens effectively.

How Can I Reduce the Number of Ballpoint Pens I Buy?

If you’re trying to cut down on the number of ballpoint pens you buy, we’ve got your back. Go ahead and try these tips:

  1. Increase Your Screen Time

This one may sound like bad advice at first, but if you think about it, noting things down on your phone, tablet, or laptop can significantly help you cut down on pen usage. 

While it’s a given that these devices use electricity (which usually comes from fossil fuels), it is also important to remember that digital devices do not create plastic waste, unlike ballpoint pens, which often end up in landfill sites, which have a harsh impact upon the environment.

  1. Switch Over to Reusable Pens

While ballpoints are handier and faster to access, they contribute to landfill sites more than recyclable pens. Instead of using ballpoint pens all of the time, you can invest in a nice fountain pen and refill it with ink as needed.

If you still prefer ballpoint pens over fountain ones, you can buy a high-quality ballpoint device and keep changing its internal cartridge each time it runs out.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, ballpoint pens are one of the largest contributors to global plastic waste. Many of them end up in landfill sites or water bodies, hence polluting the natural environment. It’s better to recycle them (and other plastics) whenever possible to ensure a healthier and brighter future for us all. 

Jaap

My name is Jaap, and I am a passionate collector of pens and stationery. I am excited to share my knowledge and love of this hobby with you through my website. From fountain pens to notebooks, I strive to provide in-depth reviews and information on all things stationery. Whether you're a student looking for the perfect notebook, or an artist searching for the ideal sketchpad, I am here to guide you through the process of finding the perfect items to suit your needs. Join me on my journey of exploring and documenting all things pen and stationery.

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