Tips for Recycling Metal Clothes Hangers

Gary Barker with the Organic Consumers Association states that recycling wire hangers proves difficult for a few reasons:

• The hooks catch on recycling equipment causing jams and damage. 
• There is also a petroleum polymer coating on the hangers that makes recycling the metal more of a challenge. 
• Most recycling centers won’t accept metal hangers, due to the low percentage of steel reclaimed per hanger.

If you live in an area that accepts wire hangers as part of curbside recycling, take advantage of it, or use Earth911 to locate recycling centers nearest you.

Otherwise, reuse is the best option. If you don’t want to keep wire hangers around in your closet, use them for do-it-yourself projects such as unclogging drains. Lastly, many dry cleaners welcome metal hangers back to their facilities for reuse.