Recycle

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Recycling is the third R of the three R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Recycling means taking a product or material at the end of its useful life and turning it into a usable raw material to make another product.

Produce Less Waste by Practicing the 3 Rs:

• Reduce the amount and toxicity of trash you discard.
• Reuse containers and products; repair what is broken or give it to someone who can repair it.
• Recycle as much as possible, which includes buying products with recycled content.

The following are some general tips:

• Food and beverage containers should be rinsed to avoid odors and bugs.
• Remove beverage caps from plastic bottles.
• Do no put the following materials in the glass recycling:
  • Mirrors
  • Ceramics
  • Pottery
  • Window Glass
  • Light Bulbs
  • Leaded Crystal

Disposal of Household Hazardous Waste

Hazardous waste should NOT be disposed of in the trash or in the gutter. Hazardous waste disposed of in the trash poses a serious threat of injury to trash collection and landfill operators. This kind of waste also creates environmental problems when disposed of improperly. For these reasons, disposal of hazardous waste is regulated and improper disposal is illegal. The penalties can be substantial. Empty containers may be discarded with your trash.

Hazardous waste must be disposed of on Fridays between 1pm and 3pm in the Heritage Ranch CSD Maintenance area.

Household Hazardous Products used properly can be a benefit to society. But when used in large quantities and misused or mishandled by consumers, can create problems.

Garage Garbage

Did you know that used motor oil can be recycled? How about paint? It turns out many of the items in your garage are recyclable. Claim your garage back, learn what to do with the mess and help the planet while you're at it. Commonly referred to as household hazardous waste or HHW, many of the every day products in your home or garage can be hazardous to you and the environment if used, stored or disposed of Improperly. These items can contain harmful materials like lead or mercury that do not belong in a landfill. Since they are used on a daily basis, product stewardship is necessary, including:

• Know how to identify hazardous products
• Know what hazardous products you have
• Make sure they are properly stored
• Learn how to properly dispose of them

What Makes Things Hazardous?

Household Hazardous Waste is any product that is discarded from a home or a similar source that contains volatile chemicals that are:

• Ignitable: capable of burning or causing a fire e.g. flammable or combustible
• Corrosive: capable of eating away materials and destroying living tissue when contact occurs e.g. acids and alkaline, bases
• Explosive and/or Reactive: capable of causing an explosion or releasing dangerous or poisonous fumes when exposed to air, water or other chemicals
• Toxic: poisonous, either immediately or over a long period of exposure time e.g. pesticides, herbicides, lead, mercury
• Radioactive: capable of damaging and destroying cells and chromosomal material

  Just a few examples of HHW are used motor oil, oil-based paint, auto batteries, gasoline and pesticides. The term HHW refers specifically to those products used in and around the common household, not used for any industrial purpose. These products can be harmful to living things, the environment, and to the people handing them, if they are not disposed of properly. This means HHW should never be dumped on the ground, down the drain, or thrown in the trash. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Americans generate 1.6 million tons of HHW per year. The average home alone at any one time can accumulate as much as 100 pounds of HHW in basements, garages, under the sink, and in storage closets.

  List of Common Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Products

  The following list shows common household items containing potentially hazardous ingredients that might be found in your garage, basement, or other storage space in your home.

  Cleaning Products Oven cleaners Drain cleaners Wood and metal cleaners and polishes Toilet cleaners Tub, tile, shower cleaners Bleach (laundry) Pool chemicals	Indoor Pesticides Ant sprays and baits Cockroach sprays and baits Flea repellents and shampoos Bug sprays Houseplant insecticides Moth repellents Mouse and rat poisons and baits
  Automotive Products Motor oil Fuel additives Carburetor and fuel injection cleaners Air conditioning refrigerants Starter fluids Automotive batteries Transmission and brake fluid Antifreeze	Workshop/Painting Supplies Adhesives and glues Furniture strippers Oil or enamel based paint Stains and finishes Paint thinners and turpentine Paint strippers and removers Photographic chemicals Fixatives and other solvents
  Lawn and Garden Products Herbicides Insecticides Fungicides/wood preservatives	Miscellaneous Batteries Mercury thermostats or thermometers Fluorescent light bulbs Driveway sealer
  Other Flammable Products Propane tanks and other compressed gas cylinders Kerosene Home heating oil Diesel fuel Gas/oil mix Lighter fluid

  Composting

  Managing organic material at your home can not only decrease the amount of material you send to the landfill; it can also help turn your organic waste into a landscape asset. Composting will reduce the amount of food waste in your garbage can, while creating nutrient-rich fertilizer for your garden.