Can Garden Hoses Be Recycled?

Upgrading to a new garden hose can make yard work so much easier. Less easy, however, is figuring out what to do with your old garden hose. It takes up so much space and isn’t very useful once you get a new one. So, can your garden hoses be recycled?

Garden hoses cannot be recycled because they aren’t always made of recyclable materials and they can tangle the equipment at the processing facility. This can slow down the process and damage the equipment at the plant. Throw away your old garden hoses and chop them into small segments if they won’t fit in your garbage can.

The average garden hose lasts for 5-10 years before you need to replace it. You can cut slits into an old garden hose and turn it into a DIY irrigation system if you don’t want to get rid of it. Follow along as we explore why garden hoses can’t be recycled and see what you should do instead.

Garden hoses cannot be recycled. Never put an old garden hose in the recycle bin, as it can cause problems at the recycling facility. Because of their shape, garden hoses can tangle the equipment at recycling plants and can delay its operation.

Garden hoses can easily become entangled with the other items in recycling processing equipment. Not only does this make the job harder at the recycling plant, but it can even be dangerous. Garden hoses aren’t typically made of recyclable material.

Even if the garden hose doesn’t tangle the equipment, it will likely need to be removed. It’s understandable to assume that garden hoses are recyclable, but recycling them creates more trouble than it’s worth.

The best way to get rid of old garden hoses is to simply throw them away. Place your garden hose in the garbage can. If you don’t have enough space in your garbage can, you can always cut the hose into smaller segments so that it will easily fit.

However, you don’t have to get rid of a garden hose just because it’s old. You can get more value out of old garden hoses if you simply modify them. Cut or drill slits into your hose towards the nozzle. This will let the water spray more like a sprinkler than a traditional hose.

This is a great option if you have a large yard with two spots for hoses. You can use the modified hose to water dense areas of your garden in conjunction with your new hose. Otherwise, you can drill more holes throughout the length of the hose, lay it flat in your garden, and turn it on to irrigate an area.

The average garden hose can last between 5 and 10 years. However, it depends on several factors such as the climate and how well you take care of it. For example, garden hoses have a shorter life expectancy in environments that have cold winters and hot summers.

Weather changes can weaken nearly anything that you leave outside, and that includes garden hoses. Leaving garden hoses directly in the sun can also cause them to tarnish more quickly. You can extend the lifespan of a garden hose if you store it under cover.

Store your garden hose under a deck if you have one to protect it from prolonged sun exposure. If possible, you can also wrap up our garden hose and put it in a bin. Otherwise, garden hoses are quite durable and cheap enough that you can easily replace them in 5-10 years without spending a fortune.

You should disconnect and put away your garden hose in the late fall. Early winter is the latest that you should put your garden hose away. A connected garden hose can cause your pipes to freeze during the fall and winter.

This can lead to thousands of dollars in damages and repairs. Make sure to empty as much water from your garden hose as possible when you disconnect it so that you don’t track water inside. Mold can also grow inside a garden hose that still has water in it.

Ideally, you should store your garden hose indoors during the fall and winter. This will protect it from the harsh drops in temperature during the season. Store your garden hose under some sort of cover, such as a deck, if you cannot place it indoors.

Plastic hose reels are recyclable as long as all of the components are made of plastic. However, you may need to dismantle the hose reel so that it can fit in your recycling bin. This is easy, as most plastic hose reels only consist of 2-4 parts that you can dismantle by hand.

If you don’t have a recycling service, you can visit a local recycling facility to drop it off. Otherwise, you can donate the hose reel to an organization such as Goodwill, Salvation Army, and even Habitat for Humanity.

Plastic hose reels are handy to keep around the house or in your garage even if you don’t need them for your hose anymore. You can use them to store cables and ropes in an orderly manner ,which is helpful if you have any DIY projects coming up soon.

You cannot recycle garden hoses. They can tangle the equipment at recycling facilities and this can stop their process. The best way to dispose of garden hoses is to throw them away in your garbage can. Garden hoses aren’t recyclable, so the facility won’t accept them even if they don’t interfere with the equipment.

You can donate old garden hoses to organizations such as Goodwill if they are in good enough condition. With that said, hose reels are recyclable if they are made of plastic.