Never Throw These 5 Items in the Trash

Read these tips for items that must be recycled.

By Sara Novak
Columbia, SC, USA | Apr 24 2009

Unless you've been sleeping under a rock for the past 20 years you know the importance of recycling. Now more than ever our landfills are filling to the brim and running out of room when nearly 70 percent of what we would consider trash can be recycled. But there are some items that because of their toxic nature should never be thrown in the trash according to Eco Village Green. Read this list of items that for the good of our ecosystem must by properly recycled.

1. CFL light bulbs. Yes the rumors are true. CFL bulbs do have some mercury and while I think it's important to use them versus regular bulbs, when it comes to disposing of them, you should recycle. Home Depot has a CFL recycling program so you can just bring your old CFL bulbs to your local store. Of course, since they last so long, you won't have to do this very often.
2. Lithium-ion batteries. These are not your traditional batteries but rather the rechargeable variety. The chemicals in them can leech into the soil and the water supply polluting the ecosystem. Take these to Best Buy, which collects and recycles them.
3. Electronics equipment. These guys are often filled to the brim with poisonous substances. These include TV’s, stereos, speakers, and mobile phones. Check Earth 911 to find out where they can be recycled. Mobile phones can often be taken back by your cell phone dealer.
4. Car-related fluids. Things like antifreeze, wiper fluid, engine oil, or anything that comes from your car is usually terribly toxic as you might imagine. You can recycle these normally at your local government hazardous waste collection point.
5. Paints. This includes varnishes, stains, and paints. All of these should go to your local government's designated hazardous materials collection point. Today, though you don't have chunks of glass floating in your can of semi-gloss Rustic Red, there are some things you should be aware of before you toss it to the curb. In fact, it is against the law in most places to put free-flowing liquids (such as paint) in the trash.

Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Office of Sustainability

Office - (954) 828-5785  Fax - (954) 828-4745

GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

Think before you print!