Guides · Updated
3D print recycling options in Canada
Municipal recycling in Canada doesn't take 3D prints, so recycling them means choosing a separate route. These are the four options, and who each one suits.
The options at a glance
| Option | Best for | Upside | Downside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local pickup | Print shops, print farms, makerspaces and schools that make scrap every week | Nothing to ship or run yourself; collected on a schedule | Only available in some cities |
| Mail-in program | Hobbyists and small shops anywhere in Canada | Works wherever you are | You pay to ship heavy boxes; you still sort and store scrap |
| Your own recycler | Large shops with space and time to tune equipment | You keep the filament | Shredder and extruder cost money, floor space and tuning time |
| Reuse | Everyone, before recycling | Free; no energy spent re-melting | Only uses up a small share of scrap |
Local pickup
A local service drops off bins, you sort your scrap into them, and it collects them on a schedule. It's the least work for anyone who prints every week, because nothing needs to be packed or shipped. In the Greater Toronto Area, Spoolback offers this for PLA and PETG, from $30 per pickup. See how it works.
Mail-in programs
Some recyclers and filament makers accept scrap by mail. Check which plastics they take and whether they want them sorted, and weigh the shipping cost: a box of scrap is heavy, and shipping can cost more than the plastic is worth.
Running your own recycler
Desktop shredders and filament extruders let you turn scrap into filament on site. They suit large shops with a steady stream of one material. Expect to spend time getting a consistent diameter, and expect some loss: about 0.7 to 0.8 kg of filament per kg of scrap is typical.
Reuse first
Before recycling, reuse what you can: failed prints as calibration or test pieces, jigs and spacers, or teaching examples. Our guide to recycling failed 3D prints covers how to make less waste in the first place.
Whatever you choose, sort by material
Every route works better with clean, single-material scrap. Keep PLA and PETG apart, and keep resin, metal and unknown plastics out. The materials guide explains why.
In the GTA? We pick it up.
Spoolback collects PLA and PETG scrap from print shops, makerspaces and schools across the Greater Toronto Area and turns it back into filament. Plans from $30 per pickup.