Newsletters: March-April 2009

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Recycle this Spring

Natural Times March/April 2009

By Linda Miklowitz

You know you want to do it. Maybe it was a New Year's resolution. You feel a twinge of guilt each time you don't do it. But it's not too late! With spring cleaning on the way, review the essentials and promise yourself to recycle.

If you have City of Tallahassee pickup and don't have a "Smart Cart," the two-compartment wheeled receptacle, call for one at 891-4YOU(4968), option 3. If not, dedicate your own receptacles for paper and bottles/metals that you can deliver personally to a county landfill.

Please note that a little contamination that can't be easily removed can consign an entire load of recycling to the landfill. Make sure liquid containers are empty before you deposit them.

Glass, metal and plastic cans, bottles, jars and jugs. The city says "all" are welcome and asks that lids be removed. Rinsing is not required, but can help keep bugs and smells away.

Plastic Bottle Caps NEW. Aveda, manufacturer of botanically-based beauty products, has begun to accept plastic caps that are rigid polypropylene, sometimes noted with a "5" in the chasing arrows recycling symbol. According to Aveda'website, this includes caps that twist on with a threaded neck such as caps on shampoo, water, soda, milk and other beverage bottles, flip top caps on tubes and food product bottles (such as ketchup and mayonnaise), laundry detergents and some jar lids such as peanut butter. If you can bend or break the lid with your bare hands, then it does not meet the rigid plastic definition. For more information and to locate stores for drop off, visit aveda.com/aboutaveda/caps.asp.

Paper. All paper and cardboard can be recycled, except that which is coated with wax, as in milk or juice cartons, greasy from pizza or fried chicken, or wet. (Keep your paper recycling box covered or out of the rain.)

Foam and plastic bags. Supermarkets like Publix take plastic bags and foam trays and egg containers. Mailing businesses take foam "popcorn" cushioning.

Metals. Some metal recyclers will take wire hangers and other items like file cabinets. Call Ace Salvage at 574-1364 or Leon Iron & Metal at 575-5000.

Paint, stains, household chemicals, fertilizers. Call the Leon County Swap Shop at the Leon County Landfill, 606-1803. You can pick up or drop off items that could be used by other residents. You can take up to five items each time and return what you can't use. Any other questions? Go to www.leoncountyfl.gov/SolidWaste or www.talgov.com/you/solid/recycle.cfm.

Batteries. All car battery retailers, as required by Florida statutes, recycle car batteries. Non-rechargeable ALKALINE batteries may be put into household garbage; they no longer contain mercury and are not hazardous. According to the City, rechargeable batteries are taken by the following retailers:

• Best Buy - 942-2300
• Home Depot - 422-2777
• Radio Shack - 877-8780
• Sears - 671-6300
• Staples - 877-3500
• Target - 671-2041
• Wal-Mart - 565-2732

Print cartridges. Check with LaserWorks 562-3332; or Office Depot, 656-3019, gives $3 store credit for each cartridge.

Sporting goods. Consign at Play It Again Sports, 523-0801. (cont. on p. 22)

Clothes. Donate to charity/thrift stores like Goodwill, Salvation Army or Refuge House (especially women's suits for job interviews) or look up "consignment services" in phone book.

Electronics. Working electronics can be taken to any Goodwill store, 576-7145. Other electronics can be taken to the Leon County Landfill at 7550 Apalachee Parkway or call the Leon County Recycling Electronics Program at 606-1802.

Cell phone companies have recycling programs, so check with your provider. Phone recyclers often work with non-profit groups to collect cell phones as a fund raiser. Refuge House gives them to clients without cell phones for emergency calls.

• Tallahassee Police Department 891-4246
• Leon County Sheriff's Department 922-3498
• Refuge House 487-8859

Your refuse could be someone else's treasure. Join Tallahassee Freecycle at Yahoogroups.com to see what you can give away. Check also with:

• Goodwill 576-7145
• Peace & Prosperity 671-1554
• Second Blessings 681-9449
• Habitat for Humanity 504-3939
• Refuge House 487-8859
• St. Vincent DePaul 576-6099
• Lighthouse Children's Home 656-9497
• Salvation Army 575-9798

2009 HAZARDOUS WASTE ROUNDUPS

• March 7, 9 am-1 pm
  Tallahassee Mall, behind Ross


• April 18, 8 am-2 pm
  City of Tallahassee Cash for Trash Municipal Way


• April 25, 9 am
  Tallahassee Mall in front of Ross and Shoe Carnival


• September 5, 9 am-1 pm
  Tallahassee Mall, behind Ross