For many, IKEA is the magical land where you can find inexpensive furnishings and final touches for your home.
They also recycle! By making access to recycling easier and more efficient, it helps consumers like you build healthy recycling habits that you will hopefully take home with you.
Whether you’re looking for a sustainable way to turn in your cardboard, or to learn new ways to recycle, IKEA has got you covered.
Here’s an Idea of IKEA’s Recycling Policies:
IKEA has a recycling process that is streamlined. IKEA’s recycling initiative doesn’t stop at batteries and bags. Their website has a dedicated section to all the ways you can reuse, reduce, and recycle when it comes to IKEA products.
Here is everything we learned about how IKEA continues to stay on top of the green initiative program!
Does IKEA Recycle Alkaline Batteries?
IKEA recycles alkaline batteries as well as other forms of household batteries. Best of all, they make it really easy for you to do so!
Located at the end of every IKEA (after the checkout lanes) is a wall of recycling. This wall has several different sections where you can safely turn in old batteries that will be recycled.
Find which section will work for what you have and drop it off! IKEA will do the rest. The best part about this process is that it isn’t only meant for consumers of IKEA.
There is absolutely no purchase required in order to recycle at IKEA. So whether you purchased your batteries at an IKEA or elsewhere, it doesn’t matter!
Does IKEA Recycle Light Bulbs?
IKEA absolutely recycles light bulbs! This can also be done at the same recycling section where you would turn in old batteries.
However, each lighting product will have its own section to turn into. This is because not all lightbulbs are created equal when it comes to materials.
Safely collecting light bulbs based on the materials they contain is one of the amazing ways IKEA is able to take on so much when it comes to recycling.
It should be mentioned that the main type of light bulb that is recycled at IKEA is the household ones. This will also include energy-efficient light bulbs as well!
What About Fluorescent Tubes?
IKEA also allows you to turn in fluorescent tubes, but you won’t find a spot in the wall for it!
This is because fluorescent tubes are a little trickier to store because of their size and contents. Instead, IKEA has a separate “box-style” receptor for these types of bulbs.
This way you are insuring your own safety as well as the safety of the employees who handle the recycling.
This initiative is part of IKEA’s “Free Take Back” program that allows you to safely recycle items like fluorescent tubes that may contain harmful materials like mercury.
What About LED Lights?
Like other household light bulbs, IKEA also does allow you to recycle LED lights as well.
LED light recycling can be found with the other commonly used products like batteries and light bulbs. Many people prefer to reycle at IKEA since LED lights are much more costly than traditional light bulbs.
Having a free and safe place to recycle them is an absolute dream!
Does IKEA Recycle Plastic Bags?
IKEA is one of the first stores in the states to ban the use of traditional plastic bags.
Instead, you can either choose to carry out your items or purchase one of their reusable bags. Unlike other common reusable bags, the IKEA ones are made out of 100% recycled materials and can really stand up to the test of time.
I happen to personally own several bright blue IKEA bags from over a decade ago! Now, that’s durability!
Even though IKEA doesn’t offer single-use plastic bags, they still will recycle them for you! This is all a part of the IKEA Free Take-Back Program where they have promised to be a one-stop shop for all of your recycling needs.
You can easily recycle plastic bags from other stores right where you can turn in old batteries and light bulbs too! This helps to make IKEA a great place to start your green adventure.
Does IKEA Recycle Furniture?
While you should be able to recycle certain furniture pieces (depending on the materials they are made from) right at home, IKEA takes it one step further!
IKEA has an amazing program where you can buy and resell old furniture purchased from the store. This sustainable program was in place to give IKEA shoppers a safer and more environmentally friendly way to get rid of old furniture.
Resale furniture reduces the amount of waste filling up our landfills by giving some gently loved pieces a brand new life!
How to Get Started:
All you have to do is fill out a request from the buy-back platform and wait for an offer. This offer will come directly from IKEA and will be valid for up to 30 days.
This helps to take most of the heavy lifting off of your plate. If you accept the offer, you will be given an IKEA card with store credits so that you can buy what you want.
The best part about this program is that if IKEA is ultimately unable to sell your furniture, they will responsibly recycle the piece for you. This way you are not only getting a little bit of a return, you can sleep well knowing that you are doing your part to protect the environment.
Does IKEA Recycle Cardboard?
With IKEA leading the way when it comes to being a more responsible corporation, we would be surprised if they didn’t recycle cardboard.
So, yes, IKEA absolutely allows you to recycle cardboard right where you recycle all of your other products you no longer have a need for! Not only done for the consumer, IKEA notoriously uses a lot of cardboard in the packaging of its products.
While this cardboard is made from reused materials, it does add up. So, having a place to return all of that cardboard is a major bonus for this furniture store.
Does IKEA Recycle Mattresses?
One thing that is often forgotten about when it comes to reusing and recycling furniture is a mattress. Most people squirm at the thought of using someone else’s mattress.
This is one of the reasons why you see so many abandoned mattresses on the side of the road. IKEA does allow you to recycle old mattresses but, it’s not as easy to recycle a mattress as it is batteries.
You have to have first ordered a new mattress from IKEA and have it delivered to your home. From there, you can have the delivery drivers take your old mattress back with them. Make sure that it is properly cleaned and stored in a mattress bag.
Cleaning it ensures the safety of the people who handle your old mattress. Mattresses are one of the items that IKEA allows you to recycle, but only if you have bought a new one from them first!
Does IKEA Recycle Plastic?
IKEA does allow you to recycle plastic, based on what type of plastic it is.
First, check the plastic for a tag or mark that states what type of recycling it requires. From there, make sure to put the item in the correct container for recycling.
One thing about IKEA and its recycling initiatives that I love is that they are not only offering solutions, but they are also actively trying to change the way they do things in order to reduce their overall waste.
This is evident in their new promise to completely rid their products of harmful plastics by 2030! It is IKEA’s hope to have 100% use of sustainable plastic in all of their products by this timeline.
This means that all products bought after 2030 will not only be better for the environment, they will also allow you to recycle them far easier than before.
Does IKEA Recycle Packaging?
In the same place where you would recycle batteries and lightbulbs, there will be several sections for you to recycle IKEA packaging.
However, you will be responsible for sorting it on your own. This is because IKEA uses different materials for packaging its items for sale.
Most often, you will see some form of cardboard as well as plastic wrapping, puff packages, and tags. Along with plastic and cardboard, IKEA also uses paper wrappings in its packaging.
While it seems excessive, the good news is that all of these materials can be easily recycled right at any IKEA location. But, I think it’s also important to remember what IKEA is leaving out.
You won’t find any harmful materials in their packaging which helps to make their packages 100% recyclable.
Is IKEA Furniture Generally Recyclable?
When figuring out if IKEA’s furniture overall passes the test when it comes to sustainability, there are many factors to look at.
As it stands right now, 60% of IKEA’s products are completely renewable with 10% being recyclable.
That means that IKEA’s furniture currently is 70% sustainable. However, they have set a goal to have this total at 100% by 2030. IKEA plans to do this through the use of new textile and fiber technology that will allow the materials to break down over time so that they don’t contribute to the overwhelming landfill problem.
Even though the production of these products is still in the early testing phases, IKEA is determined to meet its goal. This means that in less than 10 years, we can see more sustainable, recyclable, and earth-friendly products coming out of this massive chain store.
Does IKEA Have A Good Recycling Program?
IKEA has an amazing recycling program. They really thought about everything when it comes to reducing the amount of waste they and their customers create!
IKEA has completely streamlined the recycling process so that you only have one place to go to in order to turn in all of your recyclables. Not only that, IKEA is constantly workshopping new ways for their customers to rid themselves of their old trash without adding to the current waste crisis the world faces.
It is important for corporations to take responsibility when it comes to the well-being of our planet – and IKEA is leading the way.
Wrapping It Up!
So, whether you are looking to get rid of that box of old batteries, or are trying to sell your old IKEA coffee table, IKEA has got you covered. A lot can be said for a company that not only wants their consumers to have a great experience but also want them to have an easy process for recycling.
This is one of the many reasons why people have been singing IKEA’s praises for decades.
They really have always been ahead of the times when it comes to green initiatives – and this is very evident in the way they allow people to recycle.
Reference Links
Recycle Your CFLs with IKEA’s ‘Free Take Back’ Program
Return and Recycling Service – IKEA
Only recycled or renewable based plastic in IKEA products by 2030