How to dispose of old wiper blades: this is the right way to do it

Wiper blades are best disposed of in the residual waste bin. Both the wiper arm materials and the rubber lip are non-hazardous materials and can’t be recycled. Therefore, it is best to dispose of old wiper blades in the residual waste.

Refrain from putting old wipers in the plastic recycling bins because they definitely don’t belong there.

Alternatively, you can dispose of old wiper blades at the recycling centre or the local landfill site. This is advantageous if there’s hardly any space left in your residual waste bin, or if it often gets filled up to the brim. Since windscreen wipers are bulky and can only be crushed with tools and force, you may have fewer problems if you take them to the recycling centre. It’s usually free to dispose of them there.

Another option is to take the wipers to a car workshop and have them disposed of there. This is usually also free, especially if you have your new wipers installed at the workshop while you're there.

Disposing of old wiper blade motors

If you’ve not only changed the wiper blades but also the motor, this must not be disposed of in the household waste under any circumstances. Since the wiper motor is an electronic component, it should be disposed of properly, just like other electronic waste. Many municipalities have containers for e-waste for this purpose. Alternatively, simply take the wiper motor to the recycling centre or hand it in at the next recycling collection.

However, replacing the wiper motor is usually carried out in a workshop anyway, as the replacement is very difficult for non-experts to do themselves, especially if the wipers have to be properly adjusted after the replacement. Therefore, in most cases, motorists usually only replace the wiper blades themselves, and, if necessary the wiper arms as well, but not the wiper motor.

The right time to replace and dispose of them

Replace the wiper at the right time. If you change it too early, you spend money unnecessarily; if you change it too late, in the worst case scenario, there’s an increased risk of an accident when visibility conditions are poor. If the rubber lip is brittle, is very hard or is already cracked, these are clear signs that the wiper blades should be replaced as soon as possible and the old wiper blades should be disposed.