We all know how important recycling can be. Fortunately, in America, 479 million pounds of post-consumer non-bottle rigid plastic was recovered in 2009! That’s 33% more than in 2008! When we think of recycling, obvious materials such as plastic and paper jump to mind. But do you know what other items may be recyclable?
• Latex Paint: Oftentimes our latest paint projects leave us with half-empty cans. Instead of piling them in the garage, recycle old latex paint into brand new recycled paint.
• “Dirty Containers”: Are those beer bottles with lime wedges inside recyclable? Does that last bit of peanut butter need to be removed from the jar before recycled? Though it is best to avoid as many organic contaminants as possible, that lime wedge or last bit of peanut butter won’t ruin the recycling batch. Getting the containers as clean as possible is always best, but wasting water in doing so isn’t helping either.
• Batteries: Any type of battery that contains metal is recyclable. Many battery retailers will also accept them for recycling. This includes both automotive and household batteries.
• Holiday Lights: One of the fastest growing holiday recycling programs involves strand lights, with municipal programs and national retailers like Home Depot signing on to offer consumer recycling.
• CDs/DVDs/Cassettes: Best Buy collects CDs and DVDs for recycling at in-store kiosks. Another option is the GreenDisk mail-in program, which recycles media into new CDs and disks. GreenDisk also collects cases for recycling, so you won’t be left with a bunch of plastic lying around.
• Trophies: Total Awards & Promotions, Inc. has created a trophy recycling program to benefit charities. Through a mail-in program, the company’s Madison, Wisc. headquarters recycles your defunct awards or re-engraves and donates them to nonprofit organization.
~ For more information, visit Earth911.com.
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