Appliances
Q. I removed the chlorofluorcarbons (CFCs) from my refrigerator myself so why isn't it cheaper to recycle it?

A. Some scrap metal recyclers do not take CFC-bearing appliances unless they are certified as having had the CFCs properly recovered. Other recyclers will charge the same fee to a person bringing in an appliance without that certification, regardless of whether it still has CFCs. This policy is meant to discourage people from venting the ozone-depleting CFCs into the atmosphere in an attempt to save money.

Batteries
Q. Why are alkaline batteries not always recyclable?

A. Though it is possible to reclaim some metal from alkaline batteries, these batteries are not often recycled. Where they have been collected, it has generally been for disposal as a hazardous material. Mercury has been the ingredient of most concern in alkaline batteries. As currently manufactured, however, these batteries contain only a fraction of the mercury they once did. Many counties have therefore determined that the reduced risk in sending alkaline batteries to the landfill does not warrant the expense of collecting them for special disposal or recycling. You might consider switching to rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries, which are widely recycled--after being reused many times.

Q. Rechargeable batteries are not always NICAD or are they?

A. No, they are not. Many cell phone and camcorder batteries, for instance, are small lead-acid batteries (the same materials used in a car's rechargeable battery). If you follow proper maintenance, such as recharging batteries only after their charge has been exhausted, they will last longer. For a wealth of information on rechargeable household batteries, visit the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation Web site.

Building Materials
Q. Why can't I recycle painted wood?

A. Painted wood is generally not recyclable. The two primary uses for old wood are as a soil amendment (after the wood is chipped or ground up) or as fuel for industrial furnaces, etc. If painted wood is burned, toxic fumes are likely to be emitted to atmosphere. If chips of paint are added to the soil, they can pollute ground or surface waters, or affect the health of plant life grown in the soil. Neither situation has any environmental advantage over putting the painted wood in a modern permitted landfill.

Q. I thought everyone wanted plate glass framed or not for crushing into roads.

A. There are businesses looking for plate glass to be crushed for use in road building and other paving projects. However, these businesses have no use for the frames and cannot effectively crush glass that is still in the frames. If you have wood-framed, unbroken windows, try businesses that deal in second-hand building supplies.

Q. Where can I dispose of asbestos?

A. First, do not try to remove siding, insulation, shingles, or ceiling tiles if you suspect they contain asbestos. For advice on how to carry out such a project, or on how to dispose of asbestos that is not attached to a building, contact your local air pollution control agency. For a list go to http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/local.html

Glass
Q. Why can't I recycle broken glasses with my glass bottles and jars?

A. The combination of ingredients used to make glassware is different from what goes into container glass for bottles and jars. If these two types of glass are recycled together, the resulting glass will not be suitable for container glass. In fact, glassware, ceramics, window panes, or mirrors can pose a threat to equipment in a glass recycling plant.

Household Hazardous Waste
Q. Why should I recycle my compact fluorescent lights and fluorescent tubes?

A. Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) and tubes come in various shapes and sizes. CFLs contain small amounts of mercury (about as much as the ink on the tip of a ball point pen). If the lights are broken, mercury vapor can enter the environment and settle into surface waters, where it can turn into highly toxic methylmercury. Fish and other wildlife can then ingest the mercury and pass it up the food chain to humans. Once mercury is in the food chain, it is almost impossible to remove. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 600 million fluorescent lights are disposed of annually, with over 80 percent ending up in landfills. Because mercury persists in the environment, you must not throw away CFLs with your regular garbage. Instead, recycle them at your local household hazardous waste facility, so the mercury, aluminum, glass, and phosphor can all be safely recovered.

Q. What should I do if a compact fluorescent light or fluorescent tube gets broken?

A. If a light breaks, put on protective gloves and carefully sweep up all of the glass fragments and any powder with a disposable hand broom and dust pan. Place the broken pieces of glass in a rigid food storage container with a snap on lid. Place the disposable hand broom and dustpan in a plastic bag and wipe the area with a damp paper towel. Put the used towel in the plastic bag as well and then place everything in a five-gallon bucket or container with a lid. The greatest potential hazard in this situation is being cut by the broken glass. Ventilate the area well. Make sure to never use the vacuum cleaner because you would contaminate your vacuum and the mercury could become airborne. Dispose of the waste at your local household hazardous waste facility.

Q. Why isn't antifreeze good for the sewer system?

A. Though small amounts of antifreeze can be successfully neutralized by sewage treatment plants, too much antifreeze can overload those systems. You should never attempt this disposal method without first obtaining the permission of the sewage treatment plant involved.  In any case, recycling the material is a more environmentally beneficial practice, and antifreeze recycling is available on a regular basis in most Washington counties.

Q. Why can't I recycle contaminated oil at the usual oil recycling sites?

A. Used oil that contains water, solvents, antifreeze, or any other liquid is unsuitable for normal recycling processes. Instead, it must be handled as a fully-regulated hazardous waste. If faced with the expense of hazardous waste management, the operators of oil recycling sites may choose to stop accepting oil altogether. You can reduce the chances of contamination by draining your crankcase oil into a container that you can cover and seal, and by recycling the oil soon after.

Q. Can't we just dump latex paint; it is water soluble.

A. Latex paints contain various amounts of toxic materials. If improperly discarded toxic materials are water soluble, that only means they could pollute ground water more quickly. You might be able to give your unwanted paint to neighbors, school or community theater troupes, or local volunteers who are trying to paint over graffiti. Many counties have collection opportunities for latex paint reuse or disposal. Where none of these options are available, residents are usually advised to dry out latex paint until it is solid; as it is then no longer water soluble, residents can dispose of it with their garbage. Of course, the best way to avoid having to dispose of paint is to use it, and to buy no more than you can use.

Metal
Q. Why can't I get five cents for my empty pop can like they do in Oregon?

A. In Oregon, people pay a five-cent deposit on each can of pop they buy, and if they return the empty can to the store they get their nickel back and break even. In Washington, we don't have to pay a deposit when we buy pop at the store, so we break even right away. And then we can sell our empty pop cans to a recycler and make a clear profit.

Q. My woodstove is all metal, I took out the brick.

A. Did you take out all other insulation materials? (Did you check on asbestos advice--see above--first?) If so, you might be able to find a scrap metal dealer that will take it.

Paper
Q. Why won't recyclers take cereal boxes along with cardboard?

A. If a recycler takes cereal boxes at all, they will probably take it along with mixed waste paper. The "cardboard" from which cereal boxes are made is really known as chipboard or paperboard. It is not the same grade of paper as the corrugated cardboard that is used to make shipping and moving boxes. Of these two types of cardboard, corrugated cardboard has a much higher value as a recycled raw material. Chipboard has little or no value as a recycled raw material, and if a recycling company tries to sell a bale of corrugated cardboard that has chipboard mixed into it, the buyer might refuse not only the bale in question, but anything else that recycling company tries to bring in later. If the demand for products made from recycled chipboard increases, perhaps paper mills will be more willing to take it as a raw material (and pay a better price). The more attention we consumers give to purchasing recycled products, the better the chances that the economics of recycling will improve.

Plastic
Q. Why won't recyclers take No. 1 or 2 unless it's a bottle?

A. Even though plastic bottles and tubs might have the same number inside their recycling symbols, they are not really made of identical material. Bottles are produced through one kind of molding process and tubs through another, and these two processes require different plastic mixtures that melt at different temperatures. If these plastic containers are recycled together, the result is a mixture of material that has little value in a second round of manufacturing. If separated, they each have greater value. Unfortunately, even when plastic tubs are collected separately, they have relatively little value as a material to manufacturers. Try to buy things in containers that you can recycle in your area. (To find if you can recycle a container in your area, search 1800recycle's on-line database.) If recycling is not possible, perhaps there is a way to reuse such containers around your home.

Q. Why do plastics have a number on them if they can't be recycled.

A. The numbering system was designed so that plastics could be sorted according to a few broad categories. Once the system was adopted, recycling companies were able to identify plastic containers by type. Recycling companies could thus separate and collect the plastic types that had sufficient market value to cover the costs of collection and transportation. Since Washington is distant from most plastic manufacturing markets, there are many types of plastic that simply cannot be recycled economically in this state.

Q. Why can't I recycle the lids?

A. The lids to plastic bottles are made of different grades of plastic than the bottle itself. These grades of plastic are not recyclable in Washington, and mixing lids in with plastic bottles will diminish the value of bottle-grade plastic collected in that fashion.

Q. Do I have to take the labels off plastic bottles?

A. Generally speaking, you do not need to remove the labels from plastic (or glass) bottles. Individual recycling companies sometimes impose stricter limits on what they will accept. Most recycling companies that take plastic bottles in Washington accept them with the labels still on the bottle.

Q. What about the little ring that stays on the bottle after you open it?

A. Most recycling companies do not care about the plastic ring that's left on the neck of a bottle after you've removed the top. However, individual recycling companies sometimes impose stricter limits on what they will accept.

Q: Are we winning the war on waste?
No. There is still approximately 30% of recyclable materials being landfilled with regular household waste.

Q: Why don’t we have a blue box or blue bag program?
The RDCK is continually looking for cost effective ways to increase recycling. Blue box or blue bag programs are one of several options considered by the RDCK.

Q: Is white paper more valuable than coloured paper when recycled?
No. You no longer separate white paper from coloured paper. They are both recycled in the same mixed paper bin.

Q: Is it true that all of the recyclables collected are just thrown in the landfill?
No. Wood waste is chipped and used for composting. The glass is broken down and used as road cover at the various waste handling facilities throughout the RDCK. The scrap metal is collected for recycling by Richmond Steel. The newspaper, cardboard, milk jugs, tin & aluminum and mixed paper are processed in Trail or Castlegar and shipped to the end user.

Q: What is contamination?
Contamination is when unacceptable material is placed in a recycling container or bin. For example, yogurt containers with frosted plastic #2 milk jugs - the yogurt container is considered a contaminant. The result is that contamination increases the program cost and ultimately the cost to the taxpayer.

Q: Do I need to wash and squash the plastic and metal containers?
Washing the containers will help reduce odor, flies and rodents. Squashing the containers will free up more space in the recycling bin.

Q: Do I need to remove the label from metal cans?
Yes. Paper labels on metal cans are relatively easy to remove and can be recycled as mixed paper. If paper is included in the metal stream, it is considered a contaminant. The problem is that during the recycling process, the metal is melted down and if paper is included in the process it can cause flash fires in the furnace, endangering the workers and producing impurities in the end product. These impurities cause the metal to be downgraded.

Q: Do I need to remove the label from glass bottles?
No. You do not need to remove the label from glass bottles. The glass is crushed and used as road construction material at the various RDCK waste handling facilities.

Q: Why can’t I recycle light bulbs, windowpanes and Pyrex with my glass?
We are always searching for markets for ‘other glass’ (i.e. pyrex). Including ‘other glass’ in the recycling bin would contaminate the entire load.

Q: Do I need to remove the windows from my envelopes in order to recycle them?
No. Most window envelopes are made out of water soluble paper fibre instead of the plastic that was once used. Recycle these as mixed paper.

Q: As a business, how can I receive help to recycle my corrugated cardboard?
Commercial loads of cardboard are picked up, for a fee, by private commercial haulers.

Q: Can I include Post-it Notes with my recycling?
Yes, Post-it Notes can be recycled as mixed paper.

Q: Can I recycle Styrofoam (polystyrene)?
No. Polystyrene used for take-out foods, etc., is contaminated with food waste and is therefore not recyclable.

Q: Which plastics can I recycle?
In theory, all plastics are recyclable. The difficulty is that in order for plastics to be recycled, there must be an end market for the materials and they must be separated into the same resin type. Each different type of plastic is indicated with a number stamped on the bottom of the container inside a triangle. Frosted plastic bottles with the number 2 on the bottom have the strongest markets and therefore are accepted at recycling facilities.

Q: Can I recycle my Christmas tree?
Yes. Christmas trees are accepted at any RDCK landfill or transfer station as garden waste/tree trimmings. The tree will be chipped and used for composting. Most communities have a service club pick up the trees for a nominal fee and will advertise this service around Christmas time.

Q: Can I recycle my refrigerator, freezer or stove?
Yes. These items are considered as white goods and are accepted at any RDCK landfill or transfer station for a fee. Prior to recycling, any CFCs are to be removed and recycled. This is in accordance with the Ozone Depleting Substance Regulation.

Q: Can I recycle my car battery?
Yes. Car batteries are accepted at any RDCK landfill or transfer station at no charge.

Q: Can I recycle fluorescent tubes?

No. We are always searching for markets for ‘other glass’ (i.e. pyrex). Including ‘other glass’ in the recycling bin would contaminate the entire load.

Q: Can I recycle my household batteries?
Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries are now part of a return to retailer system. Participating retailers include Canadian Tire, Radio Shack and Zellers. Ni-Cds are commonly found in cellular phones and cordless phones, camcorders, power tools, children’s toys, household appliances and security devices. Non-rechargeable batteries are accepted at RDCK landfills or transfer stations. For more information call 1-800-8-BATTERY .

Q: Where can I recycle oil filters or used motor oil?
On July 22, 2003 the British Columbia used oil recycling program is changing to an industry-led product stewardship initiative. Used oil filters and used plastic oil containers (1 – 30 litre size), as well as used oil, will be recycled at return collection points. The product stewardship program, managed by the British Columbia Used Oil Management Association (BCUOMA) is developing a network of conveniently located return collection points across the province.The program is paid for by an Environmental Handling Charge (EHC) assessed on new oil, filters and plastic oil containers. The EHC is not a government tax, but a user-pay levy used by BCUOMA solely for funding the collection of used oil, used oil filters and used plastic oil containers.For more information about the program and your nearest collection point call 1-866-322-8662 or visit the BCUOMA website.

Where to get answers to questions about recycling...
I've got paper/oil/batteries/cans that I want to recycle. Is there curbside service in my area? Where do I drop off this stuff?
Earth 911 [off-site] - Give them your zip code and they'll let you know where to recycle just about everything right in your home town.
Where can I learn more about recycling concepts?
Kindergarten through 12 - Kids Recycle!
College - Campus Zero Waste
Educators - Please visit the Kids Recycle! and Campus Zero Waste above.
Advanced - Optimize Recycling
Where can I learn about how to start my own local recycling program?
College - Campus Zero Waste - When you consider that a university campus is like a small city, this resource is the jackpot for any activists interested in starting their own recycling program.
I already recycle. How can I do it better?
Optimize Recycling - Enough said...
How much cotton fabric was recycled into paper in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee between 1999 and 2000? (Or other specific questions...)
GreenYes List - While you may stump the hundreds of professionals on this list once in a while, Green-Yes list members are probably best able to give you a clue where to start for those very particular questions. Search the archives before asking please.

Sources: Department of Ecology, State of Washington website, GrassRoots Recycling Network website, Regional District of Central Kootenay website