Dear Recycle Lady,
Can you tell me the proper way to dispose of antifreeze? I have searched the local recycling industries and the internet but have not found information on antifreeze disposal. We are cleaning out an old garage and the antifreeze appears old, so we want to dispose of it properly.
Need Safe Disposal
Dear Need Safe Disposal,
Unfortunately, I am unable to give you an answer to your very important question. Antifreeze is a hazardous waste that requires special handling. Yet, currently there is no place locally that accepts antifreeze. The best thing to do at this point is to call the WV Department of Environmental Protection in Charleston at 304-558-5938 and ask to speak to someone about household hazardous waste. Perhaps they can give you an answer. Perhaps we all should all call the WVDEP and as well as our county and state representatives asking them to investigate a solution for safe disposal of antifreeze and other hazardous wastes.
Dear Recycle Lady,
What are plant-based cleaners?
Cleaner-Upper
Dear Cleaner-Upper,
Good question. Plant-based cleaners are cleaners made with environmentally friendly ingredients such as vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda; all of which have excellent antibacterial, degreasing, and stain removing properties. Vinegar is a natural disinfectant and deodorizer, lemon juice has antibacterial properties and a fresh scent, and baking soda is effective for scrubbing and neutralizing orders. Used properly, they can be just as effective as chemical cleaners, however, they work more slowly so let them sit a while before removing them. There are also several commercial cleaners available that are plant-based. Look for the EPA Safer Choice label or USDA BioPreferred certified. A significant part of these products must be plant-based. Tide PurClean ingredients are 75% plant-based and Clorox Ecoclean is made with 99% plant-based cleaning ingredients. Seventh Generation has many plant-based cleaning products, as does Mr. Clean. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also approves natural cleaners with ingredients like thymol (from the oil of thyme), including Seventh Generation Disinfecting Wipes and Cleaners.
Dear Recycle Lady,
Years ago, when the recycling center was in Fairlea, a woman showed me that when people just toss their recyclables a short distance into the recycling bins, the items pile up in the center of the bin and don’t go out into its corners. She showed me how to throw my items into the back area of the bin and into its corners so that the recycling bin fills up properly. I read your column every week. Keep up the good work.
Dutiful Recycler
Dear Dutiful Recycler,
You are absolutely correct; this is excellent advice. The Center’s recycle bins have limited space, so it is important to use all areas of the bins, not just the front. Throwing items into the back area and into the corners of the bins provides extra space for incoming recyclables. The Recycle Center staff check the bins 365 days a year in order to prevent the overflow of recyclables in the bins and to be available to answer questions. Thanks for writing and calling this information to the attention of our readers.
Good News: The eastern migratory monarch butterfly population grew by an encouraging 64% this year, according to WWF-Mexico’s annual census. Scientists measure the butterflies by the amount of forest they cover during hibernation.
Bad News: Scientists estimate that roughly 20,000–30,000 metric tons of plastic enter the ocean every day. That’s about 2,000 garbage trucks worth of plastic. This pollution impacts marine life, habitats, and food chains around the world, We can help are reducing the use of plastics, properly deposing of plastics and reusing everything you can. making reductions in single-use plastics and increased reuse some of the most important actions we can take.
Have questions about recycling, or interesting information about recycling? Send questions or requests [email protected]. Dear Recycle Lady is sponsored jointly by the Greenbrier Recycling Center and Greenworks Recycling.
