Can I give the refills another life after using them?

The activated carbon found in the filter fill, once used, can be reused to prevent odors, mold and mildew and for composting.

How to use this?
First you should rinse the spent coal grains or “charcoal block” (i.e. compressed coal) with cold water. Then dry it thoroughly, preferably outdoors, as this will give better results than drying it indoors.

Preventing odors/bad odors
Place dry charcoal in a sock and leave it wherever you want it to be odor-free: in the fridge, in the bathroom, in the car or in drawers, even in your old slippers! Or in your pet's bed. It will absorb the odor. Every few months, you can repeat the process with another used block of charcoal.

Prevent mold (e.g. in bathrooms).
Place it in a sock as in the above process and leave it in the area where the mold is growing. Ideal for climates/regions with high humidity.

composting
When activated charcoal stops performing these functions (no longer fighting mold or absorbing odor), it can be composted. If in compressed “carbon block” form, such as one of our EcoPro or EcoPro Compact filters, grind and mix into compost or soil; It also works very well on potted plants. Carbon will not only passively settle into the soil, but will also aerate the soil and retain water.

Disclaimer

Refills are made with activated carbon and a binder. The binder is inert (will decompose) but is not certified for composting. Additionally, if unfiltered tap water contains contaminants, contaminants may have accumulated in the carbon block and may be released into the soil of plants. Our experience is that this should not affect this because the same contaminants are obtained when irrigating directly with unfiltered tap water.