What do you do with you used rotary cutting blades
 

You can keep them in the original plastic container and send them to the following: I don't like mine to end up in the garbage dump, so I recycle them.

send your old used blades to them .....
http://www.lpsharp.com/3.html

The blades I purchase are the Olfa blades.

I have a metal can with a lid. I put all worn out blades, pins, needles, anything sharp in it. When it gets full I will look for some place to dispose of it carefully. Have had it several years, still not half full. It may still not be full when I am gone..... who ever gets my sewing machines can deal with it than. LOL

Large plastic pill bottles are a good size for 45 mm blades.

D.rickman, how are the sharpened blades working out? Curious whether they hold their sharpened edge as well as a new blade.

I resharpen mine as long as possible, then in to the garbage they go, contained or wrapped protectively.

I have a plastic blade container labeled used blades. It will hold about 12 blades. I haven't filled it up in over 5 years! My blades last a long time unless I nick them. I sharpen a sharp blade so it never gets dull. I use this sharpener after about ten cuts with the blade. Only takes few swipes to keep a sharp blade sharp.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nYqlLLtYOk

One by One thanks for the video link. I will try this sharpener.

I put mine in a empty container marked "used" and use those blades to cut paper until they don't even cut that anymore. At that point, I put them in my Sharps container. It hasn't gotten anywhere close to full yet (with combo of medical needles, sewing needles & rotary blades), but when it is, I can ship it to a special company that will safely dispose of them. I'm not super worried about rotary blades going into the landfill; my main concern is the safety of the trash collectors (I think they're called something like environmental services workers these days) who have been known to be injured by needles or blades because they snap in half during the compactor process & can go flying out and into the workers, causing serious injury and high risk of infection. I guess we all have our different causes.

The cost of the trade-in program is the same as buying brand new packaged Olfa blades from Wal-Mart. If the blades in the linked program are actually new, as in "just off the floor of the manufacturing plant", I'd be willing to switch to them & pay the small premium to be environmentally-friendly. If, on the other hand, they are new, as in "new to you", I'd prefer to keep buying blades that are actually new as they tend to be safer to use.

I put them back in the plastic container that they come in, more fit in than the original 5, then I put masking tape all around the package and turn it in at my Dr's office in their sharps container.

I collect them in the container they came in and then toss it in the trash when it's full. They're not contaminated and can be tossed just like an old fashioned razor blade or a tin can lid.

I keep the used ones in the original packaging, but write used on it with a sharpie.

When full, I take to my pharmacy where Sharps are disposed of. I know they are not potentially contaminated like medical sharps, but I think it is safer for all involved.

I use a washed-out plastic Parmesan cheese shaker. The one side has a half-hole, which is great to drop large rotary blades into, and the other side has little holes for regular pins. That side usually stays open, lol. I'm forever dropping bent pins into it!

I have one of the containers they use at the doctor's office for needles. I put all bent/broken needles and pins plus the rotary blades. When it gets full I take it to my doctor's office and dump it in with theirs. They think it's hilarious that I have a container like theirs!

I have a sturdy plastic container that mints originally came in. It's nowhere near full, even after 3-4 years. When it does eventually fill up, I'll probably tape it securely so that it can't pop open, and throw it in with the regular trash. The only person who manually handles our trash is DH, who puts it all in a trash can and rolls it down to the road. The can is specially shaped so that a big mechanical arm on the trash truck reaches out, picks it up, dumps the trash into the truck, then sits the empty can back down in our yard. (Pretty cool to watch, actually! :D ) The truck hauls it straight to the landfill. They have heavy equipment to deal with the trash, so it's very unlikely that anybody but DH ever physically touches it. :)

I love the parmesan cheese container idea! :thumbup:

I put old blades from fabric cutting in a yellow container for cutting paper then when they won't cut paper I put in a small plastic container and tape up securely and put in trash. It takes a long time to get to the trash time after 8 years quilting just trashed my container.

I reused the yellow container that the blades originally came in and mark OLD on the outside with a Sharpie. When full, into the trash. I keep the skinny envelope that Crystal light or Starbucks Refreshers come in to put my discarded needles and pins in and toss them in the trash.

I put mine in a plastic container that held chewing gum. Holds the blade nicely and I open the flap to drop in the used sewing machine needles. Do not know what I will do when it is full! I must not change blades as often as I should because it has been with my machine for at least 3 years!

I drop them in an empty pill bottle.

I have the sharpener that OnebyOne talked about. Take it to my weekly quilt group so everyone can sharpen their blades. Works very well,

I use a sharpie and mark them as used, then I use them to cut my cardboard, It makes quick work of it, and with a bad shoulder I have trouble tearing it into pieces. This way I can cut it up and stack it.
As far as tossing them, just use one of your old containers. There's no need to dispose of them like sharps at a doctors office! They aren't contaminated with body fluids or disease! Just put them in something and toss them.

I use an old Parmesan cheese container. All my bad pins and needles fit in the "sprinkle" side of the lid, and my blades easily fit in the "pour" side of the lid.

I put mine into an old pill bottle and probably take to the local pharmacy to go in the sharps container. I'm not fond of the idea of just putting them into the trash, you never know who or what will come across it in a landfill. I don't think it's the lack of contamination, it's the fact they are still hazardous.

I take a prescription vitamin that comes in a very tall, wide prescription bottle. I store all of my used blades in there and use a smaller bottle for my needles. They can then be safely disposed of without cutting anyone since the caps lock down.

I use them in a separate rotary cutter marked "paper". They are too dull for fabric, but good for paper.

I use pill bottles also. One with a small punched in the top for pins and needles, and a larger one for blades. I haven't filled or disposed of either one yet, but like the idea of taking them to the pharmacy.

Same here, rather do that than trust them to the trash bin.

That's a great idea!

Thank you so much for the video link. I have had one and it hasn't worked well for me and I see that I didnt' quite do it correctly. Will now try again.

I use my old worn out blades in another rotary cutter just for cutting paper. Have it marked as such too so I get some extra mileage on the blades. Once they start to miss I put them in a blade container marked "throw out" Once its filled I toss it safely into my trash can.

If it isn't breaking any rules, where can this sharpener be purchased, and how much is it? TIA

I put my used blades in one of the plastic cases they come in and then write "USED" on it. I then have put them in disposable bins for needles, etc. Thanks. d rickman, for that address.......I'll probably use it.....

I put them inside a tin can and toss in the recycle bin.

Our trash service has a container designed for needles and sharp things such as razors and syringe needles. All we had to do was ask for it. I put in all my old pins, needles, rotary blades, etc. When it is full, I just put it in the recycle bin for them to take away.

I started putting them in a tide container because at the time my dog had to have insulin shots so that is where I put her needles. Now I put them in a empty Lysol wipe container.

I put them into the plastic container that they came in .

If you are near Escanaba, MI, Glenna has a blade exchange.

http://www.quiltsnstuff.net/

I'm lucky, I can recycle mine at work at the HWRC (not sure on the American translation sorry!). It just goes in the scrap metal skip which goes to paying my wages, it's all a circular cycle :)

I use a black permanent marker and write OLD on it and put it back in the container it came in. That way I always know which blade is new and which one is old. When I use the last one, I throw away the container.

Replace them in the yellow plastic they come in - when it is full - sharps container at work.