Are condoms biodegradable? How to dispose of them safely

Not quickly. Most condoms are made of latex, which is natural rubber. Research shows that bacteria and fungi can break natural rubber down, but it’s a slow process. Rubber that’s been treated to make it stronger breaks down even more slowly, and some additives, such as antioxidants, slow it down too.

Most latex-free condoms are made from synthetic materials, such as polyurethane.

Some condoms are made from lambskin, a natural material. The US Food and Drug Administration says tests have shown latex and polyurethane condoms can stop HIV, Hepatitis and Herpes viruses passing through, but lambskin condoms may not. So they aren’t a safe choice if you want protection from STIs.

Some condoms are sold as biodegradable, and Brook, the sexual health charity, says they’re an option if single-use plastics are a concern. Even so, rubber breaks down slowly, so the bin is still the right place for any used condom.

Most condoms are made of very thin latex, but latex-free condoms are also available. The packet tells you what the condom is made of.

• Latex condoms: the most common type.
• Latex-free condoms: for example, polyurethane condoms. They’re an option if you have a latex allergy.
• Internal condoms, worn inside the vagina or anus: almost all are made of thin, soft plastic or synthetic rubber.

Don’t use latex condoms if you’re using antifungal medicine on or around your genitals or anus, for example to treat thrush. Read more in “Can condoms cause yeast infections? Separating myths from facts”

When you’ve finished having sex:

• Grip the base of the condom as you pull out, so it doesn’t come off.
• Take it off, wrap it in a tissue and put it in the bin.
• Never flush it down the toilet.

Toilets should only take pee, poo and toilet paper. Flushed items can block sewers, and sanitary items that are flushed instead of binned end up on beaches: sewage-related litter was found on 69% of UK beaches surveyed by Marine Conservation Society volunteers in 2025.

Used condoms go in your general waste bin, not the recycling.

No. Condoms are made to be used once. Use a new condom every time you have sex, and a new one if you want to have sex again or in a different way, for example switching from anal to vaginal sex. Read more in “Why you should never reuse a condom”

Using condoms well means fewer wasted condoms and fewer failures:

• Check the packet for a CE or UKCA mark, which means the condom has been tested to high safety standards.
• Check the use-by date, as an expired condom may not work.
• Use one condom at a time. Using two can make one or both split.
• Put it on before there’s any contact between the penis and your partner’s genitals, mouth or anus.
• Keep it on until you’ve finished having sex.

Read more in “Can condoms fail without breaking?”

Used correctly every time, condoms are up to 98% effective at preventing pregnancy, but only about 82% effective in typical use. Internal condoms are up to 95% effective, or 79% in typical use.

Methods like the implant and the coil are over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. But of all the methods of contraception the NHS lists, only condoms, external and internal, help prevent STIs as well as pregnancy. Using a condom every time you have sex is the best way to protect you and your partner from HIV and other STIs. Read more in “Contraception: preventing STIs and choosing the right contraception for you”

Better2Know has committed to reaching Net Zero emissions within its business by 2050, measured against its emissions in 2019. Read more in “Better2Know announces commitment to Net Zero by 2050”

Condoms protect against most STIs, but no method is perfect, and some STIs, like Herpes and genital warts, can spread through skin-to-skin contact. Read more in “3 STIs you can catch even if you use a condom”

If you’re worried about an STI, Better2Know offers:

• Full Screen: tests for 7 infections, including HIV, Syphilis, Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea, from 28 days after sex, with results in 3 days (5 days for the home test). You can book it at one of our clinics or order a Full Screen home test.
• Peace of Mind: tests for Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and Syphilis from 14 days after sex, with results in 2 days.
• Platinum Screen: our most comprehensive STI screen. It tests for 12 infections, including Herpes and Trichomonas, from 28 days after sex, with results in 3 days.

If you test before 45 days, a negative HIV result needs a repeat test. A Syphilis test in the first 3 months after sex can miss the infection, so you may need a repeat test. Not sure which test you need? Our Patient Care Team is available 24/7 on 020 7099 0955.

What should I do if a condom breaks?

You may need emergency contraception, PEP (emergency HIV medicine, which must be started within 72 hours) or an STI test. Read more in “My condom broke. What should I do now? First steps and when to test”

Can I put used condoms in the recycling?

No. Wrap them in a tissue and put them in your general waste bin.

Which lubricant can I use with condoms?

Use water-based or silicone-based lubricant. Oil-based products, such as baby oil or lotions, can weaken latex and make a condom tear.

Condoms don’t break down quickly, so the best thing you can do for the environment is to bin them and never flush them. And whatever their environmental cost, they’re still the best way to protect yourself and your partners from HIV and other STIs.

If you’re worried about an STI, book a Full Screen at a clinic near you or order a home test kit from 28 days after sex. Our Patient Care Team is available 24/7 on 020 7099 0955.

Not in the UK? Choose your country from the selector at the top of the page for local tests and prices.

This article originally appeared on 19 August 2022 and was last updated on 30 September 2026.

This article is general information and not a substitute for personal medical advice.

Sources

1. Rose K, Steinbüchel A. Biodegradation of natural rubber and related compounds: recent insights into a hardly understood catabolic capability of microorganisms. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2005;71(6):2803 to 2812. https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/AEM.71.6.2803-2812.2005
2. US Food and Drug Administration, Condoms and sexually transmitted diseases. https://www.fda.gov/patients/hiv-prevention/condoms-and-sexually-transmitted-diseases
3. Brook, Condoms, updated 1 July 2026. https://www.brook.org.uk/your-life/condoms/
4. NHS, Condoms, reviewed 26 January 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/contraception/methods-of-contraception/condoms/
5. NHS, Internal (female) condoms, reviewed 15 February 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/contraception/methods-of-contraception/internal-condoms/
6. NHS, Methods of contraception, updated 23 June 2025. https://www.nhs.uk/contraception/methods-of-contraception/
7. NHS, How well contraception works at preventing pregnancy, reviewed 31 January 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/contraception/choosing-contraception/how-well-it-works-at-preventing-pregnancy/
8. NHS, HIV and AIDS, reviewed 9 July 2025. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hiv-and-aids/
9. NHS, Genital herpes, reviewed 27 June 2023. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/genital-herpes/
10. NHS, Genital warts, reviewed 10 July 2023. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/genital-warts/
11. United Utilities, Stop the block. https://www.unitedutilities.com/help-and-support/wastewater-services/stop-the-block/
12. Marine Conservation Society, Beachwatch 2025: what you found. https://www.mcsuk.org/what-you-can-do/beach-clean/beachwatch-reports/beachwatch-2025-what-you-found/
13. Better2Know, Better2Know announces commitment to Net Zero by 2050, 18 April 2025. https://www.better2know.com/en/blog/better2know-announces-commitment-to-net-zero-by-2050
14. British HIV Association, British Association for Sexual Health and HIV and British Infection Association, Adult HIV testing guidelines, 2020. https://bhiva.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/HIV-testing-guidelines-2020.pdf
15. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, UK guidelines for the management of syphilis, 2024. https://bashh.org/_userfiles/pages/files/syphilis_2024.pdf