Blenders are among the most common kitchen appliances, and like any small electronic device, they don’t last forever. When a blender stops working or gets replaced by a new one, most people toss it in the trash — but that’s a big mistake.
Blenders contain metal, plastic, glass, and electrical parts that don’t belong in landfills. These materials can harm the environment yet are fully recoverable through e-waste recycling.
Because a blender has a motor, circuit board, and power cord, it’s considered small e-waste, not regular curbside recycling. The right way to dispose of one is to take it to a certified small-appliance recycler or e-waste drop-off center.
If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, GreenCitizen offers convenient options — from EcoCenter drop-offs to pickup services — ensuring your blender is recycled under R2 and e-Stewards-certified standards.
Recycling your blender properly doesn’t just keep hazardous materials out of the environment — it supports a circular economy, conserves natural resources, and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A few small steps can make your kitchen just a little greener.
💡 Key Takeaway: How to Recycle a Blender Responsibly
Blenders aren’t curbside recyclable — they contain mixed materials like copper, glass, and electronics that require special handling. The right way to dispose of a blender is to separate the parts and bring the motor base to a certified e-waste recycler. If you’re in the Bay Area, GreenCitizen offers safe, transparent, and convenient blender recycling through drop-offs or pickups.
♻️ Recycle Your Blender with GreenCitizen
Drop it off at our Burlingame EcoCenter or schedule a certified pickup anywhere in the Bay Area. Fast, responsible, and R2-certified.
Can You Recycle Blenders?
Yes — you can recycle blenders, but not through your regular curbside recycling bin. Blenders contain a motor, wiring, circuit board, and mixed materials like stainless steel, ABS plastic, and glass, which make them part of the small e-waste category. This means they require special recycling through certified e-waste or small-appliance recyclers.
When sent to a proper facility, each component is dismantled and separated — metals and copper wiring are recovered, plastic pitchers are sorted by resin type (like Tritan or ABS), and the glass jar can often be recycled separately.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, GreenCitizen offers convenient drop-off and pickup services to ensure your blender is handled safely, in compliance with California’s e-waste recycling laws and R2/e-Stewards standards.
Repair or Recycle — What to Do Before Disposing of Your Blender
Before recycling your blender, ask one simple question — can it still be repaired or reused?
Many issues like leaking jars, loose blades, or worn gaskets can be fixed at home or by a repair shop for a fraction of the cost of buying new. Checking the power cord, fuse, and motor coupling can also reveal easy fixes.
If your blender still works, consider donating it to a local charity, community kitchen, or thrift store like Goodwill — they often accept functional small appliances. Reuse always comes before recycling in the waste hierarchy, helping reduce electronic waste and conserve resources.
However, if the motor is burned out, blades are rusted, or the plastic pitcher is cracked, recycling is the safer and more sustainable choice. Certified e-waste recyclers can safely recover valuable materials like copper, stainless steel, and plastic resin, ensuring nothing ends up in a landfill.
What Parts of a Blender Are Recyclable?
Blenders are made of several different materials, and most of them can be recycled if handled correctly. Understanding what each part is made of helps you know where it belongs.
1. The Base and Motor Unit
The base contains the electric motor, circuit board, and copper wiring. These components are considered e-waste because they include metals, electronics, and sometimes small magnets. A certified e-waste recycler will separate the motor for copper recovery and safely process the internal printed circuit board (PCB).
2. The Blades and Coupler
Blender blades are usually made of stainless steel, which is fully recyclable. Even if they’re dull or rusted, the metal can be melted down and reused. The rubber or silicone coupler that connects the blades to the motor can also be recovered for specialized recycling.
3. The Jar or Pitcher
If your blender has a glass jar, it can often be placed in your curbside glass recycling once separated from the metal base and blades.
Plastic pitchers are a bit trickier — some are made from Tritan, ABS, or polycarbonate plastics, which may or may not be accepted by local recycling programs. When in doubt, bring the whole unit to a small appliance recycler who can sort and process it properly.
4. The Lid, Gasket, and Cord
Rubber gaskets and silicone seals can degrade over time, but are sometimes recyclable depending on local facilities. The PVC power cord and plug contain copper and can also be stripped and recycled.
By separating these components, recyclers can recover metals, plastics, and glass, keeping valuable resources out of landfills and ensuring every part of your blender gets a second life.
💡In short: Most parts of a blender — including the motor, blades, cord, and even the glass jar — can be recycled when handled by a certified e-waste center. By separating these materials properly, you help recover valuable metals and plastics while keeping toxic waste out of landfills.
What Materials Can Be Recovered from a Blender?
When a blender is recycled, its parts don’t just disappear — they’re transformed into reusable materials that go back into manufacturing. Each component offers something valuable to recover:
Metals: The motor, wiring, and blades contain copper, aluminum, and stainless steel. These metals are separated, melted, and reused to make new appliances and electronics, reducing the need for raw mining.
Plastics: The jar, lid, and housing are often made from Tritan, ABS, or polycarbonate. Depending on the facility, these plastics can be shredded, cleaned, and reprocessed into pellets for new plastic products.
Glass: If your blender has a borosilicate or soda-lime glass jar, it can be crushed and remelted to make new glass containers or fiberglass insulation.
Electronics: The printed circuit board (PCB) inside the motor base contains small amounts of copper, silver, and other trace metals that can be recovered through specialized e-waste processing.
This process not only prevents waste but supports the circular economy — where materials are reused instead of discarded — saving energy, resources, and landfill space in the process.
Environmental Impact of Recycling Blenders
Recycling your old blender does more than free up counter space — it helps reduce your environmental footprint.
Blenders are made with high-impact materials like copper, aluminum, stainless steel, and hard plastics, all of which require significant energy to extract and manufacture. When you recycle instead of tossing them out, you help conserve natural resources and reduce the need for raw mining and plastic production.
By keeping your blender out of the landfill, you also prevent toxic components — like PVC-coated wires or degraded plastics — from polluting the environment. And because glass and metal are infinitely recyclable, they can re-enter the supply chain with much lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than producing new ones.
Every properly recycled blender contributes to the circular economy — where products are reused, refurbished, or broken down into materials that fuel new products.
This reduces embodied energy, cuts carbon output, and supports a cleaner, more sustainable planet.
How to Recycle Blenders (Step-by-Step Guide)
Recycling your blender the right way keeps valuable materials out of landfills and protects the environment. Here’s how to do it properly:
Step 1: Unplug and Inspect
Always unplug the blender before handling. Check if it’s still working — if it is, consider donating it instead.
Step 2: Separate the Parts
Remove the jar, lid, and blades from the motor base. Take out the rubber gasket and silicone seals if possible. These parts may need to be recycled separately based on material type.
Step 3: Clean All Components
Wash the jar, lid, and blade assembly to remove any food residue. This prevents contamination during the recycling process — especially if you’re recycling the glass jar curbside.
Step 4: Remove the Cord (If Required)
Some e-waste recyclers ask that you cut off the power cord for easier processing. This cord contains PVC and copper wiring, which are recyclable on their own.
Step 5: Take It to a Certified Recycler
Bring your separated parts — especially the motor base — to a certified e-waste recycler or small appliance drop-off center. If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, GreenCitizen offers drop-off and pickup services that follow R2 and e-Stewards standards.
💡Bonus Tip: Avoid putting your blender in the blue curbside recycling bin — most municipal programs don’t accept electronics or mixed-material appliances.
Are There Any Regulations or Fees for Blender Recycling?
In most parts of the U.S., blenders are considered e-waste because they contain electronic circuits, motors, and PVC-coated wiring — and that means they can’t legally be tossed in the trash or recycling bin.
California has some of the strictest e-waste recycling laws in the country. Under the Electronic Waste Recycling Act, small appliances like blenders must be disposed of through approved e-waste facilities, household hazardous waste (HHW) events, or certified recycling centers.
Throwing them in the garbage can result in fines or landfill violations, especially for businesses.
Look for R2 or e-Stewards certified recyclers — these facilities follow strict environmental and worker safety standards when handling small appliances.
GreenCitizen, for example, is an R2-certified e-waste recycler serving the San Francisco Bay Area. You may need to pay a small fee depending on the volume. Pickups may also incur minor additional fees.
Where to Recycle Blenders in the Bay Area
If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, you have convenient, eco-friendly options for recycling your old blender — and GreenCitizen makes the process fast, safe, and reliable.
Why GreenCitizen Is the Best Choice for Recycling Blenders in the Bay Area
If you’re looking to recycle an old blender in the San Francisco Bay Area, GreenCitizen offers something most recycling services don’t: convenience, compliance, and a mission to reduce e-waste responsibly — not export it overseas.
Here’s why thousands of Bay Area residents and businesses trust GreenCitizen:
Certified E-Waste Recycling — The Right Way
GreenCitizen follows strict R2 and e-Stewards certification standards, which means every blender is safely dismantled and processed at verified facilities. No illegal dumping. No offshore shipments. Just accountable, local recycling that keeps toxic waste out of landfills.
Convenient Drop-Off & Pickup Options
Whether you’re in San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Jose, or Palo Alto, you can drop off your blender at GreenCitizen’s EcoCenter in Burlingame or schedule a pickup from your home or office. It’s fast, affordable, and designed for real people — not just corporations.
Transparency You Can Trust
GreenCitizen provides full documentation for businesses and a complete chain of custody for every item recycled — no guesswork, no gray areas. Through our proprietary GreenCitizen Total Accountability Management System (GTAMS), you can track exactly how each blender was picked up, processed, and recycled.
Whether you’re a business needing verifiable compliance or a resident who just wants peace of mind, GTAMS ensures total transparency from start to finish.
No hidden fees, no sketchy “scrap guys” — just accountable, local recycling done right.
A Local Mission That Goes Beyond Recycling
GreenCitizen isn’t just a recycling company — it’s a mission-driven organization working to build a circular economy in the Bay Area. Every appliance recycled supports local green jobs, educational programs, and carbon reduction initiatives.
♻️ Recycle Your Blender with GreenCitizen
Drop it off at our Burlingame EcoCenter or schedule a certified pickup anywhere in the Bay Area. Fast, responsible, and R2-certified.
FAQs About Blender Recycling
No — blenders contain electronic components, sharp blades, and mixed materials, which make them unsuitable for curbside recycling. You should bring them to a certified e-waste recycler instead.
Yes. Because they include a motor, wiring, circuit board, and power cord, blenders are classified as small electronic waste (e-waste) and must be recycled accordingly.
Some recyclers require this step, especially if they process materials separately. It’s best to cut the cord and recycle it with copper-containing e-waste, or check with your recycler for instructions.
Yes — but how they’re handled depends on the material. Glass jars can often be recycled curbside (if separated), while plastic pitchers (Tritan, ABS) should go through an e-waste center for proper sorting.
Absolutely. If the motor is burned out or broken, you can recycle the blender base separately as e-waste — especially at certified recyclers like GreenCitizen.
Blender recycling through e-waste centers may charge a small handling fee — typically around $1/lb.
The greenest way is to reuse or donate it first. If that’s not possible, bring it to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler like GreenCitizen, where every part will be safely dismantled and reused or recycled.
Keep Your Blender Out of the Landfill — Recycle the Right Way
Blenders may be small, but they contain valuable materials — like copper, steel, and plastic — that can be recovered and reused instead of wasted. Tossing them in the trash or your blue recycling bin isn’t just harmful to the environment — in many places, it’s also against e-waste regulations.
The good news? Recycling a blender is easy when you know how. Just separate the parts, clean them, and take the motor base to a certified small appliance recycler.
If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, GreenCitizen makes this even easier with drop-off and pickup services, plus full transparency through their GTAMS tracking system. You’ll know your blender was recycled responsibly — not shipped overseas or dumped in a landfill.
♻️ Make your next appliance upgrade a little greener. Recycle the right way — and help build a cleaner, more sustainable future.
