Your Questions About Recycling
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Filed under Recycling Q & A
Mandy asks…
Can I recycle stuff like empty cereal boxes and cardboard?
Im sure that they are ABLE to recycle it, but can I put it in with the plastic bottles and cans? If not, where would they accept it?
Thanks,
i am also wondering, where can I get biodegradable garbage bags for decomposable waste?
The Expert answers:
Some placesecycle cardboard but it depends on where you live if you can recycle them with your bottles and cans.
In some councils they are done together and others done separately. You may want to ring your local council to see if they do recycle cardboard and where. I know some places you have to take it to a recycling depo.
On biodegradable bags i have seen ones the size of shopping bags that some shops use. It may be an idea to just use these bags instead of actual garbage bags.
Nancy asks…
Where to recycle a clothes washer for the CA Energy Star rebate?
I recently purchased a washer that qualifies for the Energy Star rebate. The deadline is coming soon and I have no idea where I’m supposed to recycle my old washer to claim the rebate in Southern California (inland empire area). Does anybody know?
Thanks!
The Expert answers:
Freecycle.org
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=recycle.pr_clotheswasher_rec
Thomas asks…
Would you recycle to earn a credit toward your utility bill?
Marylanders have recently experienced a 72% rate hike in their electricity bill in addition to some taxes. Many families just can not afford to make it anymore. If you were given the option to recycle more and have this applied to any utility bill, would you?
The Expert answers:
Everyone would!!!
Mark asks…
What happens to something you recycle that didn’t get rinsed out properly?
Do they just throw it away with regular trash? Or recycle it anyway? Because wouldn’t all recycling go through a cleaning process anyway?
The Expert answers:
I don’t think they really care if what you recycle is clean or not. Everyone needs to be concerned with what drains from your trash cans/bins if you haven’t cleaned/rinsed cans and bottles that you are recycle in your area.
Paul asks…
How can I get my employer to recycle?
I work for a large corporation which throws away probably a ton of paper everyday on the administrative side and more on the sales floor. I have asked the store manager why we don’t recycle, and he gave me a very defensive, evasive answer. He says they recycle cardboard boxes and plastic, and that it’s currently to hard to recycle paper. We use more paper in a day than the other two combined! Who can I contact to get the ball rolling on this?
The Expert answers:
I can’t give you a specific answer because I don’t know where your company is located. I would start on three fronts, one being the local municipality or city offices. They may provide haul-away containers that they come get on a scheduled basis.
Another way to get this material recycled would be to look up private companies that are interested in this. An example would be the fiber-fill insulation business. They take old paper stock, shred it and mix it with a flame retardant for blow-in building insulation.
Then the third way, would be to get your company to reduce its paper usage by going to electronic documents. I can’t give you any names right off hand, but I know that some information technology companies specialize in this, and they have actual migration plans to get from paper to electronic documents, with archival storage This is the most attractive option, as it both saves a tree to start with and second it saves the company company money. That is money after a time period, because you have an initial start-up cost involved.
Helen asks…
How to recycle grey water when i have no lawn or garden?
I live in a small townhouse with only a few pot plants (all edibles except one) and a small lawn (that i don’t want to mow too much, so i never water it) but I want to recycle my washing machine’s grey water? Any ideas what i can do with it?
No stupid answers please!
The Expert answers:
Flush your toilet with the water, several gallons at a time.
Jenny asks…
How or where can I recycle playing cards?
I have 3 decks of cards that are missing a few cards each, so instead of throwing them away I want to recycle them, even if it means sending them out somewhere. I dont want to use them for any art projects or whatever – I’m about to throw them away if I can’t find a place to recycle them.
The Expert answers:
They are normally made out of heavy paper with a glossy coating similar to magazines. So if your recycler takes magazines they can take the cards. Just toss them in the bin.
Daniel asks…
How to recycle a digital camera?
I’d like to get rid of my old Canon digital camera that does not work. Does anyone know where and how to recycle it?
The Expert answers:
You can recycle it through the canon website or at a store such as best buy. Best buy will pay for your old electronics if they are inrelatively good condition, I’m not sure about canon, but probably not.
Sandy asks…
WHen you recycle a lab top can they look at your activities?
I am interested in recycling my lab top, but I am concerned about my privacy. I want to know if the people shall look at your past activities on your lab top when you recycles. And what proceeds take place when you recycle your lab top.
The Expert answers:
Yes they can, if they can be bothered. The only way you can be completely sure is if you remove the hard disk and physically destroy it! – This is probably only for the really paranoid.
You can download diskwiper software (I have used Paragon Diskwiper from a free Magazine cover disk before now). That will stop the vast majority of people from getting any information from the disk but still allow it to be recycled. Even reinstalling the operating system – pretty easy if you have the original disks, after performing a FULL format of the hard disk first will stop almost as many. They would have to be pretty keen on getting your information to do this.
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