What to do with items that can't go in the Recycling Bin...
Propane Tanks
- Propane tanks from gas grills (20 lb.) can be disposed of at the Niagara County Landfill & Recycling Center for $2.50 Each. Also, you can find information on a company that recycles the smaller (1 lb) propane tanks - www.cylinderdisposal.com
Cell Phones
- At Collective Good, you choose the charity, such as The Center for Domestic Violence Prevention, that your donation of a used phone will support. www.collectivegood.com
Cooking Oils
- Call Darling International @ 716-895-0655 for disposal of cooking oils.
Flower Pots/Containers
- Your local nursery would be most appreciative of returned items such as these.
Freecycle
- A place to give or receive what you have and don't need or what you need and don't have - a free cycle of giving which keeps stuff out of landfills. www.freecycle.org
Furniture
- The National Furniture Bank Association will give your couch to anyone who needs a hand up, including domestic violence victims. www.help1up.org
Plastic Grocery Bags
- Local markets have bins for recycling these items.
Musical Instruments
- From piccolos to guitars, Operation Happy Note sends secondhand instruments to soldiers deployed overseas. www.operationhappynote.com
Napkins/Paper Towels
- These are perfect in your compost pile. Be sure to tear them into smaller pieces.
Eyeglasses
- Call your local Lions Club. Also, LensCrafters and Pearle Vision collect glasses chain-wide.
- www.lionsclubs.org
Random "Stuff"
- Got something you don't know what to do with, but your sure someone would want it? Excess Access matches your items with local nonprofit wish lists. www.excessaccess.com
Shoes
- Donate them to Soles4souls to provide shoes to people who need them. www.soles4souls.org
Sneakers
- Old sneakers can to go the Nike-sponsored Reuse-a-Shoe (the used kicks don't have to be Nikes). The rubber is used to create play surfaces for kids around the world. www.letmeplay.com
Skirts, Blazers, Blouses
- www.dressforsuccess.org provides professional apparel to disadvantaged women to help them dress for job interviews.
Stuffed Animals
- www.stuffedanimalsforemergencies.org is a wonderful place to consider! It will accept your gently used stuffed animals, then clean, repair, and distribute them to children in need.
Coats
- One Warm Coat accepts gently used coats. Visit the website to clocate a coat drive near you or start one yourself. www.onewarmcoat.org
Sewing Machines or Computers
- Consider giving them to the Filipino's Children Fund. A simple sewing machine can be a way for a disadvantaged person to earn a living. For more information, contact Ross Inciong at ross@fcfinc.org. You can also visit the website: www.fcfinc.org
Craft, school, office supplies
- yarn, paper-towel tubes, ribbon, knitting needles, buttons, pens, pencils, rubber bands, used calendars, or CD jewel cases can be donated to SCRAP, which creatively reuses these materials through various art workshops. www.scrapaction.org
Garden Seeds
- WinterSown accepts donations of seeds. The seeds are used to help further its winter-seed-sowing educational efforts. WinterSown will accept saved seeds as well as packaged seeds. www.wintersown.org
Hypodermic Needles
- Needles should be removed from the syringe, and then placed in a plastic
container designed for this exact purpose, and available at most pharmacies. If
you cannot obtain a container, an alternate method would be to place
the needles and syringes in a hard-cased container (plastic or metal).
An old metal coffee can, with a lid, would be suitable for this purpose. This
will protect anyone who may come in contact with your garbage, and therefore
stand the risk of possible injury from the from the needles. The
container must be secured, taping the lid is advised, and clearly marked “SHARPS”. DO
NOT ATTEMPT TO RECYCLE THESE ITEMS. For more
information go to: www.safeneedledisposal.org OR http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dshm/sldwaste/sharps.htm
- Community Sharps Collection Program - Residents of the community may dispose of needles, syringes, and lancets used in private residence at the following locations:
- Lockport Memorial Hospital-Outpatient Lab (1st floor) Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
- Inter-Community Memorial Hospital-Blood Drawing Area Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
THESE ITEMS MUST BE PLACED IN RIGID, SHATTERPROOF, AND PUNCTURE RESISTANT CONTAINERS (laundry & detergent bottles)
THE FOLLOWING CONTAINERS SHOULD NOT BE USED:
Plastic milk jugs, Plastic soda bottles, Paper or Cardboard containers, Coffee containers
PLEASE:
- Tape shut the top of Container
- Remove product label, if possible
- Add person's name or address & phone number
Pizza Boxes
- Because of the food contamination commonly present in pizza boxes, they cannot be recycled. Dispose of them with your regular trash.
Motor Oil
- Take used motor oil to a service station or to a retail outlet that sells motor oil. State law requires most service stations and retailers to accept, FREE OF CHARGE, up to five (5) gallons of motor oil per person, per day.
Refrigerators/Freezers/Air Conditioners
- These items are accepted at the Niagara County Landfill & Recycling Center for a fee of $21.50 Each. Freon removal is not necessary as it is done at the Recycling Center.
Computers/Monitors/Printers/Fax Machines
- Electronics can be taken to the Niagara County Landfill & Recycling Center for a fee of $13.00
Paint
Paint IS NOT ACCEPTABLE for disposal in a liquid state. Cans must be empty or contain dried paint only. Disposal of pain still in liquid form, should be processed using the following methods (approved and recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency).
Latex Paint (Water Soluble-clean up with water)
- Find a pail or corrugated cardboard box and line it with a heavy plastic bag.
- Pour kitty litter into the plastic bag.
- Pour the paint into the plastic bag containing the kitty litter, adding more litter as needed, depending on the amount of paint.
- Leave the lid off the paint can and let any remaining paint dry.
- Once the paint is dry, you can put it out with your regular trash for pick up. It is important that you leave the lid off the paint can so that the laborers can see the paint is dry and contains no liquids.
- Also: Niagara County Landfill & Recycling has a PAINT EXCHANGE PROGRAM for water base latex paint. If you have water base latex paint, in the original labeled, non-rusted container, that contains a minimum of 1/2 can of useable paint, you may bring it to our Paint Exchange Program. The Paint Exchange Program was designed to allow people to bring in usable paint for FREE, so that other's in need of paint may take it for use at NO CHARGE! This program runs during summer season-April 15-November 15 only.
Oil Base Paint (clean up with paint thinner)
- Please dispose of oil base paints at a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day.
VIDEO TAPES, GAME CARTRIDGES, CD'S AND OTHER TECHNO TRASH
- Now there is one place to responsibly and securely dispose of all your computer-related waste, spent supplies and obsolete accessories. GreenDisk handles all your technotrash disposal needs from a CD to a PC and just about everything in between.
- www.greendisk.com
Polystyrene Packing & Peanuts, Re-use
- Many packing, shipping, and moving stores will take used peanuts. For a partial list of local collection sites, try the Plastic Lossefill Council at 1-800-828-2214.
Smoke Detectors - Proper Disposal
- The most common type of smoke detector contains a small amount of Americium 241, a radio active material. Detector companies accept returned radioactive detectors for disposal as hazardous waste. Detectors have a limited life span, usually specified at ten years. Testing your detector with acutal smoke is the only way to be sure it will work when needed. The vast majority of smoke detectors are made by First Alert Corporation. Send old detectors to: First Alert, Radioactive Waste Disposal, 780 McClure Road, Aurora, IL 60504-2495. Phone: 1-800-323-9005. Send by surface mail or UPS Ground so they don't end up in an airplane.
Unwanted Household Goods (small appliances, tableware, clothing, furniture, toys, sports equipment, etc...)
- Your unwanted household items can have a life again if you donate them to charity. Organizations such as Goodwill Industries will take your donations, sort and sometimes repair them, and resell them in thrift shops nationwide. Goodwill provides jobs and job training for tens of thousands of people who would otherwise have trouble finding work. In 1994 alone, Goodwill assisted 25,000 people finding placement in the private sector, helping many people get off public assistance.
- Non-stick, metal cookware and utensils can be refinished. One provider is The Fry Pan Man.
Bicycles
- A non-governmental, nonprofit, advocacy organization, promoting sustainable transport and international understanding. Major areas of activity are non-motorized urban planning, economic development, bike safety education, responsible travel and bicycle tourism, and cross-cultural, educational programs. International Bicycle Fund
- RECYCLE A BICYCLE
