There are instructions on how to #recycle or dispose of basically everything, but there are a few in-between miscellaneous items that aren’t ever mentioned and which cause a lot of confusion. Here is how to handle these items:
1) Motor oil and cooking oil According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the oil from one oil change can contaminate one million gallons of fresh water, which is the equivalent to a years’ supply of water for 50 people. I don’t know many people who change their own motor oil, but in case you are a do-it-yourself kind of person, it’s important to understand how to safely handle it.
Used motor oil is insoluble, which means it can’t be dissolved. It’s sticky and gets everywhere, and it can contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals. Motor oil is a major source of contamination for waterways and can pollute drinking water, which can also harm wildlife such as birds and fish. The great thing about motor oil is that it can be recycled. When you see it coming out of your car all nasty and brown, it doesn’t mean it can no longer be used; it just means it’s dirty, but the oil never wears out.
Recycled motor oil can be re-refined into new oil, processed into fuel oils, or used for the petroleum industry. Recycling your motor oil is great for the environment because it prevents pollution, and it saves energy—it takes less energy to produce re-refined oil rather than crude oil.
To recycle motor oil:
Check with your local car maintenance facilities, waste collectors, or government waste officials if they will take it.
Many automotive repair shops will take used oil, and I know that some auto centers at Wal-Mart will take it as well.
Check with your local Advance Auto Parts because they take used oil and car batteries, and many car dealerships also offer the service.
NEVER throw away oil or dispose of it down the drain.
To store it, make sure to first drain it properly, place a tarp or newspaper underneath your car, and keep it in a sealed container.
You can mix the oil with more oil but never with other fluids such as antifreeze.
Remember your oil filters can be drained and recycled in the same manner.
You can always get an oil change done, and the facility will recycle the oil for you.
For cooking oil:
Choose one container where you can pour all the cooking oil used every time you cook. Note: Cooking oil can be reused at least one time before you recycle it.
Draining the fat is not necessary, but remove any pieces of food.
Different types of cooking oils can be mixed in the same container.
NEVER pour it down a drain. It can solidify and block your pipes or damage your city’s sanitation pipes.
Cooking oil can also be refined into biofuel, and it burns clean in most diesel engines. Check for any recycling facilities in your city where your container can be dropped off. A very handy tool I recently found was the Recycling Locator from Earth911 where you can find facilities close to your zip code. If there aren’t any places that take it, check with your local fire department. If all else fails, seal your container and place it in the garbage.
2) Batteries Many people are confused about whether single-use batteries can be recycled or if it’s safe to throw them out. The answer is yes to both, except in California where it’s illegal to throw them away. Before the 90s, batteries contained mercury and were considered hazardous waste, but after 1996 they started making them from non-hazardous metals.
Before you consider throwing them in the garbage, check if your community has any collection programs or events because they are recyclable. There are also mail-in programs available such as Battery Solutions and Call2Recycle, where you can purchase a container to fill and then mail in your batteries.
The best thing you can do is to avoid single-use batteries and instead purchase rechargeable ones, which can be used over 1,000 times and are recyclable at no cost to you. Before you send in your batteries for recycling, place non-conducive clear tape on each end or bag them individually, and store them in a cardboard container or a container that doesn’t conduct electricity.
NEVER throw away rechargeable batteries used in electronics. These do contain hazardous metals, and it’s illegal in most places to dispose of them in the garbage. Look for recycling facilities or check with your local home improvement or office supply stores.
3) Styrofoam Expanded polystyrene (EPS), known by the brand name Styrofoam, is actually a form of plastic resin. You can find it everywhere, in cups, plates, packaging material, insulation, etc. Even though it’s designated a #6 plastic recycling code, it’s usually not something you can place out on the curb to be recycled with your other products. EPS is made up mostly of air, so it’s extremely lightweight, but the issue is its volume. It takes up a lot of space in landfills and it’s not biodegradable.
You should check with your local recycling facilities if they recycle EPS because every city is different, but you will most likely need to find a drop-off site or use a mail-back program. EPS-IA has a great list of places where you can mail in your EPS, and because it’s so lightweight, shipping shouldn’t be more than $10 per box. They also have a directory of EPS recycling companies. As I mentioned before, Earth911 has a wonderful locator feature where you can look up drop-off places.
Some shipping stores such as The UPS Store will also take in packing material for reuse, and you can always store those packing peanuts or EPS blocks for any future packaging needs. When dropping off or mailing in EPS for recycling, make sure it’s clean, dry, and free of tape and labels, otherwise it will contaminate anything else that could be recycled.
But the best way to deal with EPS is to avoid it completely. EPS recycling has become much more advanced today, and there are many technological advances being developed for the near future. It’s very difficult to avoid EPS because as I said before, it’s everywhere, but you can already find many great alternatives such as food packaging made from bamboo, cornstarch, mushrooms, and peat plastic, as well as plantable packaging. More governments are working to ban EPS, and many large companies such as Dell and Ikea are already using EPS alternatives. If you really must keep using EPS, use recycled EPS, and remember to recycle.
4) Aerosol cans
Check with your local recycling program if aerosol cans are accepted in your regular curbside recycling.
If they are, make sure the can is completely empty or your recycling program will not take it. If the can is still full, especially with something like paint or hairspray, it could be considered as hazardous waste, and that requires a different kind of disposal.
NEVER puncture a can to remove the product; It will explode and could hurt you.
If your local program does not accept aerosol cans, use the handy dandy Earth911 Recycling Locator, which shows you places to recycle full and empty cans, to find another facility or use whatever resource works for you. Make sure to remove any plastic caps and recycle them separately.
Aerosol cans are made of aluminum or steel, both of which are high-value metals that can be 100% recycled into other new metal products.
5) Paint
First, always keep paint covered and stored in a cool, dry place.
Before thinking of disposing of your half-empty paint cans, consider donating them to a school, community center, or nonprofit.
If you’re not able to reuse or donate, find a recycling facility: - Oil-based paint can’t be recycled and should be disposed of as hazardous waste. Check if your community offers a household hazardous waste program or look for one, if possible. If there isn’t one, dry out the paint using kitty litter or newspaper and throw it in the trash. - For water-based paint you can also look for a recycling program in your community. Many cities offer special collection events.
Paint should never be thrown in the trash if not dried out and should not be placed with your curbside recycling.
New water-based paint can be made from recycled paint. Using 1 gallon of recycled paint instead of new paint keeps 115 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the air.
So, as you can see a lot of these miscellaneous items require a little more work and attention in order to recycle them or dispose of them responsibly. It might cost us a bit, but at the end of the day it’s completely worth it. As technological advances emerge and more amazing people come up with inventions and create more #sustainable options, we might not have to worry about recycling these items soon. Meanwhile, let’s do the best we can and be responsible, and remember first reuse and reduce. ●
Sources: Earth911 | City of Boston | United States Environmental Protection Agency