Dear Recycle Lady,
I have some old containers of pesticides that I no longer use as I want to help the pollinators survive. How can I dispose of the remaining pesticide that is in the plastic containers?
Wiser About Pesticides
Dear Wiser About Pesticides,
According to www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/safe-disposal-pesticides, unused pesticides must be safely disposed of for the protection of people, pets, and the environment. Check your pesticide label for disposal instructions. Never pour pesticides down the sink, toilet, sewer, or street drain. Your wastewater treatment center may or may not be equipped to remove all pesticides. Pesticides that get into waterways can harm fish, and plants, as well as other living things. Never reuse an empty pesticide container as it may contaminate the new contents, resulting in serious harm. Our local solid waste authority does not handle pesticides,but they have hosted several state-sponsored, county-wide pesticides collections. At this time a collection is not schedule, but hopefully there will be one in the not too distant future. Contact Earth 911 at www.earth911.com, or 1-800-CLEAN for more information. Have you considered using a homemade weed killer that is highly effective? Mix ¼ cup liquid Dawn dish soap and 2 cups Epsom Salt in 1 gallon white vinegar. Shake it well, then spray it anywhere you want to kill weeds or prevent new weeds from coming up. Reapply when new weeds begin to appear.
Dear Recycle Lady,
Recently my Hoover vacuum cleaner quit working. When I called the Hoover Company about it, I was given several recommendations for a replacement sweeper. At the end of the conversation, the service agent said, “Be sure to take your old sweeper to your local Recycling Center.”
Happy with Hoover
Dear Happy with Hoover,
Kudos for the Hoover Vacuum Company for recommending that old, nonworking vacuum cleaners be taken to a Recycling Center. There are lots of parts and pieces inall electrical appliances, large and small, that can be reused or recycled. According to www.greencitizen.com/blog/appliance-recycling, any hazardous materials are removed, individual components like copper tubing, wiring, motors, compressors, etc., are recycled, and scrap metal is sold to the appropriate dealers – a win-win in several ways. The owner no longer has the old machine, and all reusable or recyclable parts are removed before sending the remaining parts to the landfill.
Dear Recycle Lady,
My solar batteries are coming to the end of their life, and I am wondering what to do with them. Can solar batteries be recycled?
Energy Saver
Dear Energy Saver,
Good thinking. Proper disposal of solar batteries is important and yes, they can be recycled at the Recycling Center. One word of caution. Be sure to put each battery in a separate plastic bag. Although your batteries might not be strong enough to power your panels, they may still have some life left them. If two batteries were to be jammed together, it could cause a leakage or an explosion.
Interesting information: The animal kingdom is overflowing with species that boast unique and incredible abilities. Immortal jellyfish can live forever, clownfish can change sex, and sea stars have stomachs that can extend out of their mouths! (fto.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.
