Hackszine.com: Turn a Brita filter into a reusable activated carbon filter

Turn a Brita filter into a reusable activated carbon filter

We filter our drinking water at home, though it's not because there's a risk of giardia or heavy metals in the tap water where we live. Personally, I just like the taste of water that's been run through activated carbon. If your own water is safe from heavy metals, but you still like the way water tastes when it's been through something like a Britta filter, there's an easy way to convert the filter to be reusable, saving a ton of waste and a bit of money.

Your standard Brita pitcher filter contains two components, an ion exchange resin that is used to reduce heavy metals, and a bunch of activated carbon which is used to remove chlorine and various organic impurities that can affect the water's quality and taste. I'm not sure about how to go about recharging or replacing the ion exchange resin, but activated carbon is available in any pet store, where it is sold for aquarium water filtration.

Below is a link to an Instructable which shows you how to convert a Brita pitcher filter into a refillable carbon filter. You'll only need a couple standard tools to do the conversion, and when it's complete you'll have great tasting water, you'll be able to do refills for about 50 cents a cartridge, and you won't be tossing a one-time-use hunk of plastic in the landfill.

Refill A "Disposable" Brita Water Filter With Activated Carbon

Posted by Jason Striegel | Jun 7, 2008 08:21 PM
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Comments

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Posted by: Dale on June 9, 2008 at 8:16 AM

Not a complete replacement

This is not a complete replacement, it only outlines changing the activated carbon. The instructable also doesn't outline what mesh/nominal pore size the original carbon media is so if you use a carbon media with a larger size, it can result in more turbidity (cloudier water)depending on you water's turbidity.

There are other additives like ion exchange resins in a Brita filter that remove hardness as well as metals. That are also no included in this Instructable.

FYI activate carbon is really a polisher, it works on absorbtion, and it is a very good breeding ground for bacteria.

Posted by: Beth Terry on June 9, 2008 at 9:35 AM

The filters should at least be recyclable

For those not inclined to opening up the filter and figuring out how to refill it (which is not the best solution in the first place) we are asking Clorox to create a take-back recycling program so the used plastic cartridges don't end up in the landfill or incinerator.

Please visit http://www.takebackthefilter.org to sign the petition and send us your used filters!

The original BRITA company in Europe has already created a recycling program for used cartridges, but here in North America, Brita is owned by Clorox, which has not provided a way to recycle them.