Is Invisalign recycleable?

[Wallick]

It has occurred to me that I do not know what I need to do with all my clear Invisalign aligners. They are starting to stack up and I feel like I should do something with them. I am wanting to try and get more ecco friendly and not throw out as much plastic as I used to. Sooo I would like to try and recycle them instead of throw them away. Is this type of plastic recycleable anywhere? I don’t mind going out of my way to do it is necessary. It would seem like such a waste otherwise. I wish I had thought about this before I decided to go with this option.

[Sharon]

Hello,
Thank you for your post.
Unfortunately, you are not able to recycle Invisalign aligners because they are classed as a medical device. Therefore, it is seen as a clinical waste item. I know it might seem strange as you are able to drink from plastic bottles (that inevitably go in your mouth) and recycle them, so I understand why people would find this hard to understand. However, these are the rules, so your orthodontist will not be able to do anything with them other than throw them in the clinical waste bin for them to be incinerated, or, sadly, they will just go into a landfill. If you are wanting to dispose of them yourself then it will need to be household waste, which I know contradicts the whole argument. Most patients choose to keep their aligners as a memento of the process but obviously, that is up to you. If you want them disposed of then hand them back to your orthodontist and they will do the rest. Best of luck.