While pens can be recycled, they cannot be placed in a recycling bin. This is because pens aren’t fully recyclable. The inner components of a pen will need to be removed before the plastic casing can be donated. There are many writing instrument recycling programs across the globe.

Pens stop working when they still have ink because the ink dries out, air has become trapped in the cartridge causing air pockets, the ink has dried in the nib of the pen, preventing ink from flowing, debris in the nib is blocking the ink, or the paper that is used is not receiving the ink well.