Utensils Put in Garbage Stainless Steel Utensils Are Scrap Metal Dispose of stainless steel and silver utensils as scrap metal. Find out how to dispose of scrap metal. Wrap Knives Before Disposing Blades can be wrapped in newspaper or bubble wrap and then taped. Metal knives can be disposed of with other scrap metal or donated. Mixed-Material Utensils Go in the Garbage Utensil made of mixed materials, such as a combination of metal and plastic, or wood and plastic, should be disposed in our garbage. Plastic Utensils Go in the Garbage Plastic utensils (including teflon or silicone) should be disposed in the garbage. Ways to Reuse Donate Utensils If your utensils are in good condition, consider dropping them off at a thrift store. Did You Know? Most Stainless Steel Is Recycled Many recyclable items have abysmally low rates of being recycled except for steel. According to the International Stainless Steel Forum, 80-90% of stainless steel is recycled. It can be recycled without degradation. On average, about 60% of any stainless steel item you purchase is made up of recycled materials. Compostable Utensils: Not the Most Eco-Friendly of Them All? Out of all types of utensils — compostable, plastic and reusable — compostables are advertised as being the most eco-friendly. However, reusable utensils are still the front-runner because they last for so long and are easily recycled at the end of their life.