Filter your tap water using activated charcoal, with no plastic parts at all! Activated charcoal binds tightly to toxins such as lead, mercury, copper, aluminum, uranium, and molybdenum. The sticks go directly into your pitcher or water bottle until you replace it after 4 months. (It will float at first because of the air bubbles caught in the stick, but it will soon sink.) These sticks are made from sustainably harvested oak branches and should be composted when you’re done with them. If you already have a Brita pitcher, you can replace the single-use plastic cartridges with a refillable one. The stainless steel filter has food-grade silicone ends that allow you to change out the charcoal granules, over and over again. This cartridge fits any Brita-compatible pitcher. The charcoal granules come in compostable bags.