As they’re made of metal, magnets can easily damage the environment if they’re left lying around.
It’s important to know how to dispose of them so that they stay safe. Here are some tips on how to handle magnets when they are not in your recyclable: Place them in an incinerator or dumpster.
So, how do you dispose of magnets properly? Magnets can be dangerous if swallowed.
However, they are easy to dispose of properly. First, remove any metal objects from the magnet’s surface.
Then, cover it with a thick plastic card or piece of cardboard. Once this is done, throw it in the trash.
Finally, wash your hands with soap and water afterwards.
Why Worry About Throwing Away Magnets?
Contents
Magnets, particularly those that most of us have at home on the fridge door or those used in commercial operations like magnetic signage and restaurant menus, contain rare earth metals, which make them expensive to produce as well as toxic to the environment when they are discarded as waste material.
However, kitchen magnets may be fragile and quickly fracture or break when tossed into the bin.
When kids put things in their mouths, magnet pieces can get stuck in their throats and cause choking or blockages in their intestines that need surgery to fix.
If this occurs, it may result in hospitalization for breathing difficulty and may even be fatal for children whose airway is blocked by an ingested fragment of a magnet.
Also, the metal itself isn’t toxic, but the neodymium used to make the magnet is dangerous to humans if enough of it gets into the body, since it can damage the brain if it’s breathed in.
How to Properly Dispose of Magnets
Allow the Professionals to Do the Dirty Work.
It’s difficult to dispose of a magnet without damaging it, because many are made of flexible plastics or thin sheets of steel that easily bend out of shape when handled roughly or thrown away.
It is suggested, and in certain locations, mandated by law, that you let professionals like waste disposal companies take care of disposing of your magnets for you so that they’re disposed of safely.
That is not something you need to worry about if your disposal company takes care of it for you.
If you want to get rid of your unwanted fridge magnets or other metallic items in your trash bin, don’t throw the metal items away with the recycling just yet.
Handle with Caution
The important thing to remember is that these magnets are dangerous to handle and are a potential choking hazard for small children, who may easily swallow small fragments of a discarded magnet if they are not careful.
Neodymium magnets are brittle and quickly shatter, and because of this, they pose a danger when thrown away in a landfill.
Scrapping Kitchen Magnets
Contacting your local scrap yard or metal recycling center to see if they will take magnetic scrap as a donation for your community’s recycling program could be a good idea.
While many scrap yards will not even accept items like nails, screws, and other non-ferrous metal objects, some metal recycling centers will accept kitchen magnets and other magnetic scraps for their recycling programs, especially if they have large quantities of these materials.
Before disposing of these magnets, check with the local scrap metal recyclers in your area first to find out if they will take them off your hands or if they can be donated to a local charity organization instead.
It is very important to be very careful when handling magnetic materials so that you don’t hurt yourself when you try to get rid of them.
Aside from reusing or scrapping, it’s best if you simply toss the magnet in the trash instead of allowing your child to play with it.
Also Read: How to Dispose of Old Shoes Properly
Final Words
The remarkable thing about neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) is that, despite costing more than other types of rare earth metals, they are still used in most types of electronics today.
These little pieces of metal enable your refrigerator to keep your food cold or your mobile phone to keep ringing, among many other things.
They are, however, not as easy to dispose of as you might think because of their powerful magnetic fields, which make them hazardous to children if swallowed or inhaled.
Take the time to discover the best way to dispose of your magnetic scraps so that you can do your part in protecting the environment.
Make sure that you don’t endanger your family by exposing them to potentially harmful materials like these.
When it’s time to get the kitchen trashcan empty again, be sure to remove the magnet pieces from the trash bin before tossing them out.
Keep an eye open for the many uses of neodymium magnets at home, and you might just find them.
You don’t want them to end up in landfills where they can harm the environment and hurt animals.
Take the responsible route and take them to a recycling center near you.
Your electrical retailer will understand how to reduce the environmental consequences of mining and manufacturing these tiny bits of metal that are so important in our lives.
