Talking Trash

Friday, June 18, 2010

What did you spot in the blue bin?

My last post was about lawnmowers.  At the end of it, I asked whether you saw anything wrong with the blue bin...

Yes!  Right there at the top of the bin is a... big plastic trash bag!

Even if you collect recyclable items in plastic bags, please put only loose cans, bottles, jars and containers into your blue bin.  Then, reuse the bags, recycle them, or if they are dirty, put them into the trash.

Our Recycling Center sorting process works most efficiently when we receive your loose recyclables.  When items are delivered in plastic bags, workers must open and remove the bags by hand.

-- posted by Susanne

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CATEGORIES: Plastic , Recycling , Seen at the curb
POSTED: 3:47:00 PM |

Friday, June 11, 2010

Can a gas lawnmower be put out for a special pick up?

Photo credit: G. A. Corrick

From our mailbag:

Can a gas lawnmower be put out for a special pick up?

Thanks for your question, J.! 

Yes, we accept gas (and other) lawnmowers in our scrap metal recycling program.  To request a curbside collection, just call us at 240-777-6410.  We must receive your call by 11 a.m. on the business day before your recycling day.  The pickups are made on your recycling day.

To prepare your mower for collection, remove all gas and oil from it.  If the mower has a battery, take it out.  Then, set the mower at your curb by 7 a.m. on your recycling day. (We accept batteries in our Household Hazardous Waste Program.)

Have a riding mower to recycle?  We cannot accept it as curbside scrap metal.  However, we do accept riding mowers at the Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station scrap metal drop-off area. 

So, that takes care of lawnmowers.  But, take a closer look at the lawnmower photo above. What do you spot in the blue bin?  See any issues?  We'll revisit this in the next blog post!

-- posted by Susanne

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CATEGORIES: Scrap metal , Seen at the curb
POSTED: 4:52:00 PM |

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Mark your recycling and trash containers with your house number

Our field staff receives many reports of missing recycling bins, and carts, and trash cans. The missing containers are often found next door or across the street.

The container might have been blown by wind, mistakenly put at a neighbor's curb by the collection crew, or taken in by a neighbor in error.

One simple action can help keep your containers at home: clearly marking them with your house number. Using a black permanent marker is an easy way to do this; stickers or paint are other options. Program Specialist Neil Einhorn suggests writing numbers at least three inches high.

Having your house number on your containers makes it easy to tell where they belong. It also identifies your recycling containers out of the group if you have a common neighborhood collection point.

Make it easy for your containers to find their way home keeps them available for your use. That also allows our field staff to work on resolving other issues for you.

 Want higher-resolution copies of these photographs for use in your publication?  Just let us know!

CATEGORIES: Recycling , Seen at the curb , Trash
POSTED: 3:26:00 PM |

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

May flower pots and trays be recycled?

You've put the plants into your garden.  It's time to clean up... can you recycle the plastic flower pots and trays?  It's tempting... they've got the recycling arrows on them.  But... please don't add them to your recycling bin.

We are able to accept all plastic bottles with necks.  What about those pots and trays, then?  Gardeners are often happy to take these for use with their own seedlings.  Otherwise, please put these items into your household trash.

However, if a plastic bottle has held hazardous contents -- that purple bottle in the photo is labeled "Wasp & Hornet Killer" -- then please put the empty bottle into your household trash as well.

Update, February 15, 2010: Our blog entries are accurate when published.  But, our programs do change over time.  We now accept flower pots in our plastic recycling program.  Please check our plastics recycling webpage for the most current information on this program element.

CATEGORIES: Plastic , Recycling , Seen at the curb
POSTED: 3:45:00 PM |