Nifty New Uses for Old Hoses
Leaky hoses are a fact of life for anyone who gardens. Sometimes leaks can be repaired but sometimes an old hose is just hosed. If that describes your dearly departed garden tool, all is not lost. They're not recyclable in the Blue Cart, but hoses can be reused and avoid the landfill.
8 Leaky Hose Hacks
1.) Blade Guard
2.) Soaker Hose
3.) Durable Rug
4.) Better Bucket Grip
5.) Water-friendly Basket
6.) Frostproof Garden
7.) Bike Frame Protector
8.) Rustic Charm
Why hoses can't be recycled in the Recycling Bin
1. Shape
Because of their stringy nature, hoses wrap around the sorting equipment at the recycling facility. This causes shutdowns and can compromise worker safety. Other stringy things that cause a lot of headaches at recycling facilities are plastic bags, electric cords, Christmas tree lights, and wire hangers.
2. Material Makeup
Hoses are generally made with a mix of materials: rubber or plastic reinforced with fibers, and a metal or brass connector. The more materials that are combined to make an item, the more costly and energy-intensive it becomes to recycle.
Recycling hoses by mail
If you're committed to recycling your hoses, TerraCycle accepts them in their Garden Products Zero Waste Box program.
For $80, you can fill a TerraCycle box with other tricky to recycle garden supplies too; think plant pots, rusty tools, and even lawn decorations. Once filled, attached the pre-paid shipping label and send them back to TerraCycle who vows to recycle them responsibly.
(Updated April 1, 2017)
