Dear Recycle Lady,
Are Christmas cards recyclable? If so, should they be put with magazines and ad slicks, or with cardboard? Does glitter pose a problem? Thanks!
Putting Away Christmas
Dear Putting Away Christmas,
Yes, Christmas cards are recyclable. Most Christmas cards recycle with office paper, however, if they are glossy or slick, they recycle with magazines. Cards with gold foil or glitter are not recyclable. The fronts of recycled cards (except Hallmark, American Greetings and Disney, all of which have copyrights) can be sent to St Jude’s Ranch for Children, 100 St. Jude’s Street, Boulder City, NV 89005 for their programs that provide teens with life and work skills. They also accept new cards with or without envelopes. Their programs “help children and youth break the cycle of abuse, abandonment and neglect.”
Dear Recycle Lady,
One of the former pickup days was very rainy, yet the wet cardboard was picked up. Can wet cardboard be recycled?
Concerned
Dear Concerned,
Slightly wet cardboard can be recycled. Cardboard that is saturated with water cannot be recycled as it can clog up the sorting machines. So, if possible, don’t put cardboard out for curbside pickup if it is raining. If you are bringing it to the Recycling Center, weather doesn’t matter as the cardboard bin is under roof. Worldwide, cardboard is the one of the most widely recycled materials and it is made into a variety of new products. New cardboard, more boxes, packaging, paper bags, paper towels, tissues, chipboard, and newspaper paper are all made with recycled cardboard. Cardboard can be recycled up to five times and it helps keep energy consumption down and lowers our dependence on raw materials, such as trees.
Dear Recycle Lady,
What is electronic recycling?
Need Clarification
Dear Need Clarification,
Electronic recycling is also called e-waste recycling. It is recycling, reusing, or repurposing old, broken, or outdated electronic devices. According to www.earth.org, it is the process of extracting valuable materials into tiny pieces that could be reused in a new electronic appliance. Electronic wastes contain toxic substances such as lead, mercury, and cadmium, which must be disposed of carefully. Many manufacturers and retainers of electronics offer recycling programs. Check out Staples, Office Depot, Best Buy, Amazon, Sprint, and Apple for their recycling programs. Dell Reconnect partners with Goodwill to accept “just about anything that can be connected to a computer.” Before donating or recycling used electronics, be sure to delete all personal information. The local Recycling Center accepts all cell phones and electronic wastes connected to a cord, with the exception of TV’s, and monitors that were on earlier computers. Flat screen monitors are acceptable. All such electronic items are collected and sent to a company that specializes in recycling e-wastes.
Interesting Information: Last year,146 new species from around the globe were added to the biodiversity database! The new species ranged from isolated mountain peaks to deep within the ocean, including fish, rays, lizards, spiders, scorpions, and plants. For more information and photos, see freetheocean.com.
Have questions about recycling, or interesting information about recycling? Send questions or requests to recyclelady@greenbrier-swa.com. Dear Recycle Lady is sponsored jointly by the Greenbrier Recycling Center and Greenworks Recycling.
