Do You Recycle Finished Candles?
With the rise in popularity of scented and decorative candles, many households find themselves with used up candles that seem destined for the trash. However, there are good reasons to consider recycling your finished candles instead of throwing them away.
Recycling candles allows the reclamation of usable wax, wicks, and containers that would otherwise be wasted. Keeping these materials out of landfills benefits the environment and puts valuable resources back into the production cycle. Candle wax and wicks can be reused, while metal, glass, and some plastic containers can also be repurposed or recycled. With some effort, almost every part of a used up candle can find new life.
This article will explore the various components of candles and provide recommendations on how to best recycle them. You may be surprised at how many candle materials can be diverted from the trash if you take the time to repurpose or recycle them properly. Read on to learn how to minimize waste and reuse as much of your spent candles as possible.
What Materials Make Up a Candle
Candles are made up of four main components:
Wax
The wax is what makes up the body of the candle. Common types of wax used include paraffin, soy, beeswax, and gel wax. Paraffin wax is a petroleum byproduct while soy wax comes from soybeans. Beeswax is made by honey bees and gel wax contains mineral oil for a thicker consistency.
Wicks
The wick is the cord that runs through the center of the candle. It absorbs wax to fuel the flame. Wicks are typically made from braided cotton or paper fibers. Some wicks contain metal cores to help stiffen them.
Dyes and Scents
Dyes and scents are added to candles to produce colors and fragrances. Liquid dyes are used for color while essential oils and synthetic fragrances are used for scents.
Containers
Candles require some type of container to hold the wax and wick. Containers are commonly made of glass, metal, or ceramic materials. Plastic and paper containers are also used for tealight and votive candles.
Can Candle Wax Be Recycled
Candle wax can often be recycled depending on the type of wax used to make the candle. The most common candle waxes include paraffin, soy, beeswax, and palm wax.
Paraffin wax is derived from petroleum and is the most widely used candle wax. It can be recycled by remelting and reusing it to make new candles. Just make sure to separate out any candle wicks first. Paraffin can be remelted and poured into molds to create new candles or wax melts.
Soy wax is made from soybean oil and is also recyclable. Soy wax has a lower melting point so it’s easier to melt down and reuse. Recycled soy wax can be used to make container candles, votives, or tea lights. It may need to be blended with some virgin soy wax to improve the burn properties.
Beeswax is produced by honey bees and is compostable but not necessarily recyclable. You can attempt to remelt beeswax candle stubs to make new candles, but the recycled wax may not burn as cleanly. Beeswax can also be composted rather than recycled.
Palm wax comes from palm oil and is recycle-friendly. Old palm wax can be safely remelted and used for new candles. Blending a bit of new palm wax helps boost the melting point and quality.
When recycling candle wax, it’s best to use a double boiler method to gently melt the wax on low heat. Strain out any debris through a cheesecloth or mesh strainer. Then test a small amount to ensure the recycled wax sets up properly before pouring into molds or jars.
Recycled candle wax has many uses beyond just making new candles. It can be used to make wax melts, lip balm, lotion bars, furniture polish, fire starters, or waterproofing for shoes and clothing. Getting creative with recycled wax reduces waste and saves money.
Recycling Candle Wicks
Candle wicks are typically made from materials like cotton, wood, paper, or metal alloys. Removing wicks before recycling candles is an important step since wicks contain different materials than the wax and are not always recyclable.
To remove wicks, let the candle burn down completely until just the wick remains. Use pliers to grip and pull out the remaining wick and wire core. Make sure to remove any wax residue from the wick as well. Another option is to cut the wick in half horizontally while the wax is still warm and pliable. This will prevent the wick from relighting while allowing the wax to be reused.
Cotton and paper wicks can typically be composted or put in the recycling bin with other paper products. However, metal wire wicks are not as recyclable. These may need to be disposed of in the regular trash unless your local recycling center accepts small metal parts.
Always check with your local municipality about the proper way to recycle candle wicks in your area. Properly removing wicks before recycling candles allows the wax and containers to be more efficiently reused or repurposed.
Recycling Candle Containers
Candle containers come in a variety of materials like glass, tin, aluminum, and plastic. Glass containers are the most common and easiest to recycle. You’ll just need to clean out any leftover wax before tossing the glass jar or container in your recycling bin. If the container has a paper label, be sure to remove that as well.
Metal tins and aluminum containers can also be recycled after removing any labels and cleaning out wax residue. Plastic candle containers may be recyclable depending on what type of plastic it is. You’ll need to check the recycling symbol on the bottom to confirm. Give any plastic container a good wash to remove wax before recycling.
The recycling process for glass and metal containers is relatively straightforward. They are crushed, melted down, and remolded into new products. Plastics go through a more complex process involving sorting, shredding, washing, melting, and remolding into pellets. Those pellets are then used to manufacture new plastic goods.
Properly recycling candle containers keeps them out of landfills and gives the materials renewed purpose. With some simple prep, those leftover candle jars, tins, and plastics can be recycled rather than discarded.
Recycling Candle Dyes and Scents
The dyes and scents used in candles can also potentially be recycled, though this requires some extra effort. Leftover candle dye often remains soaked into the wax, so extracting and reusing it takes an additional step. Here are some tips for recycling candle dyes and scents:
To extract leftover liquid dye or fragrance oil from used candle wax, you can melt the old wax in a double boiler or slow cooker on low heat. The wax will melt into a liquid, while the heavier dye/scent often sinks to the bottom. You can then carefully pour the clear wax off the top and allow the leftover dyed/scented oil to remain at the bottom. This recycled oil can be used to color and scent new candles.
However, exercise caution when melting old candle wax, as residual wicks may still be present and can ignite. Work in a well-ventilated area and stir constantly to prevent burning. For safety, consider using a thermometer and shutting off the heat when the wax reaches 185°F to avoid flash points.
Additionally, reused dyes and fragrances may lose some of their intensity over time. Old scents in particular tend to weaken after the initial candle burn. While recycled oil from scented candles can add some fragrance to new candles, you may need to combine it with new fragrance oils for best results.
With some effort, leftover candle dye and perfume can be reclaimed and reused in new homemade candles. But the recycled oils likely won’t be as potent as when first applied. Safety precautions are necessary when melting used candle wax. Overall, recycling candle scents and dyes recovers a small additional amount of waste.
Where to Recycle Candles
When it comes to recycling candles, you have a few different options. Many community recycling centers now accept candle wax and other candle components for recycling. Contact your local recycling facility to see if they have a program in place. Some will even let you drop-off candles at no charge.
If your community program doesn’t accept candles, there are also mail-in programs you can utilize. Some candle manufacturers and recyclers offer free shipping labels so you can box up your used candles and send them away to be properly recycled. This is a great option if you have a large stash of candles to get rid of.
You can also recycle candles yourself at home. This takes a bit more effort but allows you to reuse and repurpose the wax and containers. Melt down the wax to make new candles or wax melts. Clean and sterilize glass containers to use for food storage or to hold candles again. Get creative with candle recycling projects and reduce waste from the comfort of home.
Benefits of Recycling Candles
Recycling candles provides several important benefits for the environment and for communities.
One major benefit of recycling candles is reducing the environmental impact of waste. Candles are commonly made from paraffin wax, a petroleum byproduct. When candles end up in landfills, the paraffin wax can leach chemicals into soil and groundwater. Recycling helps keep this waste out of landfills and avoids unnecessary pollution.
Recycling also conserves natural resources and energy. Making candles from recycled wax reduces the need to produce new paraffin wax. This saves fossil fuels and prevents greenhouse gas emissions from extraction and processing. Recycled wax also requires less manufacturing and refining than virgin wax, saving additional energy.
In some areas, recycling candles may provide financial incentives through local programs. Some municipalities or private recyclers offer payment for bulk candle wax recycling. This helps offset recycling costs while giving consumers an added monetary benefit.
Finally, recycling candles promotes sustainability and environmental stewardship. Supporting proper end-of-life management for products like candles helps build a culture of recycling. With awareness and participation, recycling can become an everyday habit that individuals and businesses adopt as part of a greener, more circular economy.
What Not to Recycle
When deciding whether to recycle a candle, it’s important to be aware of any prohibited or contaminated materials that shouldn’t go in your recycling bin. Here are some things to avoid:
Contaminated Candles: If a candle contains hazardous materials like lead in the wick or toxic chemicals in the wax, it should not be recycled. Lead wicks and toxic candles can contaminate entire batches of recycled wax. When in doubt, throw it out.
Candles with Food or Liquids: Candles contaminated with food, grease, or liquids like oils and fuels should not be recycled. Food and liquids can ruin recycled wax batches.
Wax with Foreign Objects: Candles with extraneous items like seashells, rocks, plastic pieces, or metal should not go in your recycling. These objects can damage recycling equipment.
Check Local Regulations: Some municipalities prohibit candle recycling or have specific rules about what can and can’t be recycled. Check with your local waste management authority before recycling candles.
By keeping prohibited and contaminated candles out of the recycling stream, we can maintain high quality recycled wax and reduce contamination.
Conclusion
In summary, most parts of a finished candle can be recycled, but it takes some effort on the consumer’s part. The wax, wick, container, dyes and scents can all be recycled, but often need to be separated and taken to different facilities. The key points are:
- Candle wax can be repurposed for arts and crafts projects or remelted to make new candles.
- Candle wicks should be removed and can often be composted or put in municipal recycling.
- Metal, glass and some plastic candle containers can go in the recycling bin. Check markings first.
- Leftover wax with dyes and scents should go in the garbage, not recycling.
- Find out if any local businesses accept finished candles for recycling.
Consumers should make the effort to properly recycle all the parts of a used candle rather than throwing the whole thing in the trash. Candle recycling takes a little extra work, but keeps these items out of landfills and reduces waste. Readers should commit to recycling candles and spread the word to encourage others as well.
