There’s a good chance that you have many old binders in your home somewhere. Many people wind up having extra binders because they simply get new ones once the old ones start to look a bit worn.
You might even buy your kids new binders for school each year, and this means that you’re going to have way more than you need sitting around. It seems like such a waste to throw binders away, though.
If you’re someone who cares about the environment, then you likely want to know if you can recycle old binders. Can these binders be recycled or do they just need to be thrown out?
Read on to learn more about recycling old binders that you have lying around the house. You’ll also learn about some other ways that you can use old binders if you don’t want to recycle them.
Binders Can Be Recycled
You’ll be happy to know that binders can indeed be recycled. For the most part, binders are made out of materials that can be easily recycled.
If you want to recycle binders, then all you need to do is get them ready to be recycled. Then you’ll be able to put the various pieces of the binder in the proper recycling bin.
To start, you’ll want to get rid of any paper materials that might be inside the binders. Paper can be recycled as well, but you’ll need to discard the plastic parts properly.
Next, you’ll have to remove the metal rings from the binder for recycling purposes. This should be easy enough to do so long as you have a standard claw hammer.
Place the binder on the floor and stand on it so that it won’t move. Grab the metal rings with the claw part of the hammer and pull the rings up.
It might take a second to get it right, but you should be able to use a bit of muscle to remove the metal rings from the binder. This is the hardest part of the process, but it isn’t really that difficult.
After you’re done with that, it’ll be time to remove the vinyl cover. You can slice it with a box cutter knife at the front, back, and spine to remove it properly.
With this done, you’ll be able to recycle the binder parts that can be recycled. In most cases, binders will be made using materials that are mostly able to be recycled.
Try Donating Old Binders
If the old binders that you have aren’t in bad shape, then it might be a better idea to simply donate them to those in need. There are many children and teenagers who don’t have enough money to buy school supplies.
Even in modern times, binders are used to keep papers organized at school. There are many kids out there who could use free binders, and this means that donating binders might be even better than recycling them.
There are multiple ways that you can go about trying to do this. One of the best ways is to reach out directly to a nearby school to see if they need extra binders for the kids.
If you can talk to someone who handles such things at a local school, then you’ll be able to drop them off and they can be given directly to kids that need them. If you can’t find out how to donate directly to a school, then you could seek out a shelter or some type of non-profit organization.
Another idea is to simply donate usable items to second-hand stores such as the Salvation Army or Goodwill. This allows you to get rid of items that you don’t need and kids will be able to go there to buy items such as this at discounted prices.
Have you thought about giving the binders away to people that you know? Sometimes this is the fastest way to get the binders out of your home.
You might have friends with school-aged children who will be in need of binders for school. Giving your old binders away to friends will ensure that they won’t be wasting money on buying new ones this year.
Of course, you’re going to want to ensure that the binders are in good condition before you decide to give them away or donate them to a second-hand store. If the binders are shoddy or if there are other issues, then you might be better off simply recycling them.
Sell Old Binders in a Yard Sale
Does your neighborhood have yard sales during the spring and summer months? Many people like to sell things that they don’t need any longer at yard sales or garage sales.
Typically, you need to get some type of permit to be able to do this, but you’ll need to check the local laws in your area. This is a common practice, though, and lots of people find selling old items to be enjoyable.
You’re not going to be able to make much money at all selling things such as binders. In fact, you’ll probably be selling the binders at prices so low that it would be just as practical to give the binders away.
Regardless, this is a solid way to get rid of binders that you have no use for. It ensures that someone who might need a binder will be able to get one without having to pay much cash.
There are many parents who buy school supplies and children’s clothing items from yard sales. It might take a bit of effort to hold a yard sale, but if you have more items that you’d like to get rid of, then it’s a very practical idea.
Keep Using the Binders
You can try to fix binders up so that you can keep using them for as long as possible. For the sake of the environment, it’s important to be able to keep using products for as long as you can.
If you don’t need to buy new binders, then that’s going to be very helpful. Even if the binders have issues, there’s a good chance that you can fix them up.
For instance, it’s possible to fix binders that have misaligned rings using a little bit of effort and knowledge. So long as you’re willing to put in a bit of work, it’s possible to keep using standard three-ring binders for many years.
Instead of buying new items constantly, it’s wise to try to use what you have until the items need to be recycled. This ensures that you’re not being wasteful and you’ll feel good about doing your part to help the environment.
Final Thoughts
You should have a much better idea of what you can do with old binders now. If you want to recycle old binders that you have in your closets, then you’ll be able to do so after breaking them down.
It’s also wise to consider donating the binders so that they can be used by kids. There are many school-aged kids out there who could use binders.
You could simply donate the binders to a second-hand store or you could try to sell them in a yard sale. There are many ways to get rid of binders that you have no use for.
Of course, it’s always best to try to use binders as long as you can so that you don’t need to buy new ones. Do what you can to avoid being wasteful and you’ll be able to feel good about your decision no matter what you wind up doing.
I have two Associate’s degrees, one in Medical Assisting and the other in Computer Technician, and I am roughly five classes from a bachelor’s degree. Though I never ended up working in the medical field, I have five and a half years of experience in IT. I recently became a stay-at-home mom to my two young boys, and I’m so excited to start this adventure with them! In my spare time, I love to bake and read pretty much anything I can get my hands on.