Games Workshop has expanded how hobbyists can recycle their plastic sprues as part of the program they started in 2023!
Amid a rampant plastic pollution crisis, in 2021, there was a push for Games Workshop to start recycling their sprues. A petition on Change.org (there were almost 11,000 signatures) got us thinking about the possibility for GW to take and reuse all those sprues, or at least how to recycle them. Because across the world, there is an insane number of sprues lying around with tons of plastic.
According to National Geographic, plastic pollution, in general, is a huge problem:
Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues, as rapidly increasing production of disposable plastic products overwhelms the world’s ability to deal with them.
So, we want to dive a little deeper and see the feasibility of it and if you can do it on your own. It is possible, though, as some companies out there, such as Creature Caster, are starting to make recycling easier for sprue wastes both in their factory and at the consumer level.
We’ve discussed the issues facing regular hobbyists who want to recycle the sprues independently (we’ll look at the issues below). So, it’s nice to see Games Workshop getting more involved with the issue of sustainability. They launched this new program in 2023 for empty paint pots and plastic sprues in certain parts of the UK.
Games Workshop Issues Update on How To Recycle Their Sprues
We also don’t see them ever adjusting the type of plastic they use for sprues. So, this seems to really be the only option for now when it comes to recycling Games Workshop miniatures and paints. Let’s take a closer look at the announcement and then get into why their plastic is hard to recycle for the end consumer like us.
Last year, we launched a trial recycling scheme for sprues and paint pots at select Warhammer stores with our recycling partner TerraCycle®.
Hobbyists can drop their old sprues, as well as empty paint pots, into special green collection bins in stores. The plastic will be shipped to TerraCycle® to be recycled into pellets, which will then be given a new lease of life and may be used in the production of a range of goods, including garden planters and playground equipment.
Well there’s good news! We’re now expanding the scheme to ALL Warhammer stores in England, Scotland, and Wales! Keep your eyes open at yours on your next visit!
This is good as the program is expanding, which means it has done decently. While it’s still just in the UK, who knows, if it keeps going well, we might see this program somewhere else as well. Plus, maybe you can take your kid to play on a playground where the sprues have been made into pellets, and you can enjoy it again!
How the Games Workshop Recycling Program Works
The info comes from the Here isWarhammer Community post.
How does it work?
- The scheme is simple – bring in your used sprues and empty paint pots, deposit them in the sprue bin at one of the participating stores, and we’ll take care of the rest.
What can I recycle?
- Any old sprue of plastic Warhammer models, with or without components still on it. You can also hand over old plastic Warhammer models, as well as empty Citadel Colour paint pots. The paint pots should be empty of liquid, but don’t worry about cleaning them. The old acrylic paint residue can all be recycled too.
What can’t I recycle?
- We aren’t able to recycle metal or resin miniatures. Also, this isn’t a general plastic recycling bin – we can only accept items whose chemical composition we are sure of, so no non-Games Workshop plastic miniatures or other plastic items, please.
What happens to the sprues, paint pots, and old miniatures?
- These will all be recycled into new materials and products. The plastic used in Citadel miniatures is of a very high quality and purity, so there are loads of uses for the recycled material elsewhere in the plastic chain, including garden planters, playground equipment, or even table tennis tables!
- Because Citadel miniatures require such high-quality materials, we’re not yet able to turn old sprues collected from stores back into new models – though we are investigating that for the future.
They had a decent list of stores to start, with over 25 stores participating. However, now it’s every store in the UK! As you can see above, they mention they also mention the type of plastic they use and why it causes issues.
Where to Recycle in Stores
This comes from the Warhammer 40k group, and is what the actual boxes look like in real life! If you see one of these in your store, this is where you recycle the sprues. When you see a store with these, grab those old sprues and paint pots, and drop them in! With the new program update, these should be in nearly every UK store now.
An Issue With the Plastic
We grabbed this info from a Reddit user about the type of plastic GW uses. As it turns out, they use Polystyrene (or High-Impact Polystyrene, aka HIPS) for the molds. Why does that matter? Well, a lot of local facilities cannot actually reuse this type of plastic.
Lots of bigger facilities have the capability, but if you want to recycle the plastic on your own, this makes it much harder. The reason is unless you live close to a huge facility with the correct gear, you are just giving it to them, and they can’t do anything with it. So, it’s great to see this expanded to all the new stores!
Why is it Hard to Recycle Games Workshop Sprues?
According to How Stuff Works:
Polystyrene usually can’t be recycled locally but has to be transported to a centralized plant, increasing costs to the recycler and reducing the incentive to recycle.
So, this makes it harder for you personally, but it isn’t impossible. As you can see, it pretty much puts the onus back on Games Workshop since customers may not have a facility that can recycle their Warhammer plastic sprues within many miles.
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What are your thoughts on the program, and how do you recycle your Games Workshop sprues?
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About the Author: Travis Pasch
Travis Pasch
Job Title: Head Writer & Editor
Socials: @paschbass
About Travis Pasch: Travis has been a Warhammer 40k hobbyist since the 1990s, playing the game since Third Edition. Through extensive traveling, he’s seen a lot of the miniatures hobby from across the world, giving him a unique perspective on the latest gaming topics and trends.
Travis’s brother even owns a commission painting studio, where he’s picked up a lot of good advice and techniques for painting Warhammer and tabletop miniatures over the years, as well. Travis joined the Spikey Bits team in 2019 and has been the lead writer since 2020.
Currently, he’s working on converting all his 40k Adeptus Mechanicus models and becoming a true tech enjoyer, complete with both sad and happy robot noises!
