What to Do With Old Pots and Pans—and How to Safely Get Rid of Them

If your old pots and pans have seen better days, you may be pondering the best way to dispose of these items. However, there are a few factors that may make this decision a bit more complicated than it seems. For starters, new cookware can be expensive, so you may want to try to extend the life of your pots and pans for as long as possible. Or, if you're officially ready to part ways but want to be mindful of the environment, you may want to recycle your old cookware but just aren't sure how. Below, we're breaking down all the different options, so you can decide what to do with your old pots and pans.

How to decide if your cookware is past its prime

There are several signs that indicate when it’s time to say goodbye to your pots and pans. “Some wear and tear is normal, but obvious warping is a tell-tale sign that inadequate heating will occur,” says Chef Adrienne Lufkin, founder of Struesli and private chef in Washington, CT. She also points to peeling and deep scratches on non-stick coatings as other signs. “Most non-stick coatings are now non-toxic, but no one wants to have pieces flake off into their dish,” Lufkin adds.

If your food sticks to the pan all the time—even if you’ve used oil or butter, Alessandro Gazzo at Emily Maids says that’s a definite sign that it’s time to let that cookware go. “Also, if you’re using too much oil to keep your food from sticking to the pan—which is unhealthy and costs money—that’s another sign. Gazzo and Lufkin both agree that warping is another tell-tale sign that your cookware needs to be retired. You'll notice this if "the pot or pan is annoying and sometimes it doesn’t stay still, which increases the chances of it falling or you making a mess,” Gazzo says.

If you’ve spent a lot of money on your cookware, you may be lamenting the idea of having to replace it. However, Lynne Just, consumer test kitchen manager at Hamilton Beach Brands, tells us that quality cookware, if properly cared for, can last for years—but she admits that it doesn’t last forever. These are here five definite signs that the cookware needs to be replaced:

• The cookware has loose handles that cannot be repaired with a screwdriver.
• The cooking surface has become severely scratched, pitted or chipped.
• The pan has become warped—either on the side or bottoms.
• The formative layers of the pan’s core have become separated from each other.
• The pot is rusty or has other abnormal discolorations that cannot be easily removed by cleaning. 

 “Any of these conditions can make consistent cooking results unlikely, and all of them create safety hazards,” Just warns.

What to do with old pots and pans

You have a several options when deciding what to do with old pots and pans. If you decide your well-loved cookware still has some life left in it—and doesn't match the conditions laid out above—then you can take steps to refresh it. If you've decided to get rid of the cookware, however, you can recycle, donate, or dispose of it.

Refresh them

Vera Peterson, group president of Neighborly, and she tells us that there's hope for old cookware with burnt on grime or stains. “To refresh old pots, you can fill the pot with hot water and let it soak for a few minutes,” she says. “Then, empty the water, pour some baking soda into the pot along with a few drops of dish soap, and use a coarse sponge or brush to scrub the pot.” Repeat this process until the items are clean. Peterson says you can also use vinegar to help clean old pots.

Recycle/dispose/donate them

If you want to recycle or donate old pots and pans, there are plenty of options. Gazzo recommends checking with your local recycling center to see if they accept metal and plastic. Then, you can start setting aside the items you'd like to donate so you can take them to the center later on. “If you have a donate or recycle box in your garage, for example, you can set up a pots and pans bin, so, once a year, you take all the pots and pans you find to the recycling center.”

Peterson also recommends recycling metal pots and pans whenever possible to minimize environmental impact.

Luftin also notes that many towns and cities have local scrap metal yards that take drop offs in case you're looking for another alternative. “TerraCycle is a company that will repurpose your pots and pans and many other kitchen items—they upcycle these items and prevent them from going to landfills,” she says.

Just recommends checking with your municipal department’s public works to find out what they’ll let you recycle. “The cookware probably can’t be added to your weekly recycling bin, but many localities have sanitation areas where you can safely dispose of your retired cookware,” she explains.

Here’s another idea: “If, by any chance, you happen to live near a preschool or a daycare, they might take them so kids can play with them,” Gazzo says.

Potential health hazards

However, before refreshing or donating your cookware, consider its material. For example, Gazzo says you need to pay special attention to older Teflon pans, specifically ones that were made prior to 2013, before non-stick pans were required to be PFOA-free. Today, Teflon and other non-stick pans are generally considered safe for everyday home-cooking, but shouldn't be heated at temperatures above 500 F, since this can release toxic chemicals into the air. However, you should still be cautious of cautious of potential health hazards with older non-stick pots and pans or items that show signs of significant wear and tear. 

“Over time, non-stick coatings can degrade, releasing toxic chemicals into food when heated,” Peterson explains. “If these pans are past their prime or damaged, it's best to dispose of them properly to avoid any health risks.”