"What Do I Do With...?"
Aerosol Containers
If containers have any product in them they are considered hazardous waste and should be taken to a hazardous waste collection. EMPTY aerosol containers may be recycled with other metal cans in most recycling programs. Caps are trash.
Agricultural Plastic
(Bale wrap, sheet plastic mulch, etc.)
Ag plastics should be managed as trash. Burning or burying agricultural plastics or other types of farm rubbish is strictly prohibited. Unfortunately, agricultural plastic is difficult to recycle and at this time there are no local recycling outlets.
Ammunition
Ammunition cannot be brought to a hazardous waste collection. If the ammo is in useable condition, your police department, a gun shop, or a friend may be able to use it. If the ammo is old, wet, or corroded, ask your police department about proper disposal.
Animals See “Dead Animals”
Antifreeze/Coolant
Coolant from vehicles (antifreeze) is considered hazardous waste and should be taken to a hazardous waste collection or to the Hartford Recycling Center. Some local service stations accept antifreeze. Give yours a call.
Appliances
Non-profit COVER Home Repair in White River Junction accepts donations of clean, working, large appliances as space allows for redistribution to needy members of the community. Please call ahead. LISTEN stores accept some small appliances in good working order. Community list serves and Front Porch Forum are other options for passing usable items along.
If no longer serviceable, appliances may be brought to the District’s scrap metal collections, or to recycling centers that accept them in their scrap metal pile. Although appliances are usually taken at no charge, there is usually a fee for the removal of CFC’s (Freon) from refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers, and A/C units. Appliances without Freon may be taken to the Hartford Recycling Center at no charge. Appliances with Freon require a $15 fee.
Asbestos
Removal of asbestos in any form, friable or non-friable may cause respiratory damage if inhaled. Friable asbestos (soft and fibrous such as pipe insulation) is the most hazardous. Non-friable asbestos (often found in siding and roof shingles and floor tiles of certain vintage) is less likely to break into airborne particles and therefore is less hazardous. If you have asbestos wastes, look in the yellow pages for “Asbestos Abatement & Removal” and “Asbestos Consulting & Testing.” Or call the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources at 802-241-3800 for further information.
Some forms of asbestos, such as tiles and roofing, do not need to be removed by a professional asbestos removal company, but disposal of these materials is very strict. Asbestos tiles, siding and roofing must be removed damp, wrapped securely in plastic and taken directly to a landfill or transfer station which accepts the materials.
Aseptic Food Containers
Aseptic food containers are plastic laminated, brick-shaped boxes such as kids’ juice boxes, soy-milk cartons, Parmalat boxes, and soup broth boxes. Unfortunately, aseptic packaging cannot be recycled at this time in our area.
Ashes
Ashes, wood or coal, may go in the trash if they are cold and bagged. They pose a dangerous fire hazard in homes, trash trucks and the landfill, so they must all be stone cold. Wetting ashes down before disposal is strongly recommended. In small quantities, ashes from raw wood can make a good amendment to compost.
Asphalt
Clean (no dirt) asphalt can be taken to Pike Industries, West Lebanon, NH to be turned into RAP, “recycled asphalt product.” No charge. Please call ahead: (603) 298-8554. Hammond Grinding will also accept clean asphalt. Please call ahead: (603) 523-4353
Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt shingles may be taken to the Hartford Recycling Center in their construction and demolition waste pile.
Automobiles
Junk cars can be recycled and many wrecker services will collect them, often at no charge to you. Make sure that the wrecker manages the hazardous automotive fluids correctly (gasoline, motor oil, antifreeze, brake fluid, battery, etc.). Look in the Yellow Pages under “Towing-Automotive.”
Ballasts See “Light Ballasts”
Batteries (Auto)
Auto parts stores take an old battery when you buy a new one, sometimes even giving a rebate. Also, you can take it to a recycling center that takes them (e.g. Hartford Recycling Center).
Batteries (Household)
ALL batteries are now recyclable in Vermont through Call2Recycle and we strongly urge you to take your batteries to your local transfer station, recycling facility, or retail establishment. Click here for information about how to prepare batteries for recycling and where to take them.
Books
Pass them on to friends, donate them to your local library for a book sale, sell them to a used bookstore, deposit them in a Big Hearted Books container near you (next to JC Penney in West Lebanon). The Hartford Recycling Center will accept books for recycling when they're no use to anyone else.
Boxboard/Chipboard
Boxboard is usually gray or brown when ripped. Examples include cereal boxes, pasta boxes (remove plastic windows), cracker boxes and tubes from toilet paper and paper towels. Please note: Containers for refrigerated or frozen foods (including six-pack and soda boxes) are not recyclable due to the “wet-strength” additive which keeps the box from falling apart. If a box is all white when ripped apart, it's trash.
Cans
Metal food and beverage cans may be recycled. Please rinse them clean. Labels do not need to be removed. Empty aerosol cans and empty, dry paint cans may be recycled as scrap metal at the Hartford Recycling Center and through other recycling centers.
Cardboard
Corrugated cardboard can be recycled with your regular recycling program. Please flatten the cardboard to allow maximum volume in any container. “Asian cardboard,” distinctively yellowish in color, is usually unacceptable. The cardboard fibers are very short and downgrade the quality of the other cardboard when recycled.
Catalogs
See “Magazines,” or “Junk Mail.”
Cell Phones
Cell phones can be reused or recycled through national programs. Several programs give a percentage of proceeds to charities.
Christmas Trees
Christmas trees make excellent habitat for birds and other wildlife. Leave your tree out to decay naturally over time. Goats love to eat Christmas trees! Some towns chip trees into “Merry Mulch.” Contact your town office. The Hartford Recycling Center takes Christmas trees for free (with a facility permit) to the end of January.
Clothes
The Upper Valley hosts a number of thrift and consignment stores. Have a clothing swap party with your friends or neighbors.
Coal Ash
Coal ash can go in the trash if it is cold and bagged. They are a potential fire hazard for trash trucks and the landfill, so the ash must be completely stone cold.
Computers
Computers and computer peripherals may be recycled for free at any participating VT transfer station, thanks to Vermont E-Cycles. This includes monitors, printers, cables, and TVs. Check with your local transfer station before bringing items. The Hartford Transfer Station as well as Best Buy and Staples will also accept these materials. Please note: Some non-computer related "non-covered" electronics will have a disposal fee.
WinCycle in Windsor will accept certain marketable donated computers. Call first. (802) 674-6320
We urge you to recycle your computers and computer equipment and to keep them out of the landfill. They contain many recyclable and reusable materials, as well as toxic heavy metals.
CD/DVD/VHS/Etc.
GreenDisk in Columbia, Missouri takes CDs, DVDs, diskettes, ink cartridges, cell phones, videotapes, pagers, PDAs, and all of your “byte-sized” techno trash for recycling. CD Recycling of America in Salem, NH will recycle CDs and DVDs. There may be a fee involved for either of these businesses. The above items are NOT recyclable through your local recycling program.
Concrete
Clean waste concrete—no rebar, dirt, etc. Pike Industries, West Lebanon, NH. Call first at 603-298-8554.
Construction & Demolition Materials (C & D)
"Clean" wood must be kept out of landfill-bound trash! Click here for more information on C&D recycling.
Reuse. If materials can be used by someone else, try one of the following options:
Dead Animals
When a pet or farm animal dies there are several ways legally to handle them. According to the Vermont Department of Health you may bury the animal on your property as long as you take some precautions. The animal should be buried at least 100 feet from a water source and should be at least 2 feet underground and covered with 10 pounds of lime to discourage other animals from digging it up. Many veterinarians also provide a service for the disposal of animals. Rendering companies will sometimes accept large animals. Your local game warden will pick up a deer or moose.
Dry Cleaning Bags & Hangers
Some dry cleaners will take back bags and hangers for recycling and/or reuse. Hangers may also be recycled as scrap metal through your regular recycling outlet.
Egg Cartons
Offer them to someone with chickens. They also make great craft supply holders. Egg cartons made of paper may be recycled with mixed paper or boxboard at your recycling center. If you can't find someone to reuse your Styrofoam or clear plastic cartons they go in the trash. Try to avoid Styrofoam whenever possible.
Electronics
Small working electrical appliances may be donated to thrift shops. Some transfer stations accept electronics, along with computers and TVs through Vermont E-Cycles. All electronics are banned from the Vermont landfills.
Explosives
Nitroglycerin gradually leaches out of TNT and other explosives and becomes unstable. Contact the state police. Please do not transport or dispose of explosives yourself.
Fire Extinguishers
Fire extinguishers are not accepted at our household hazardous waste events. Some fire extinguishers can be refilled but many household fire extinguishers sold today are not refillable. If you cannot refill your common "ABC" compressed air, dry powder extinguisher, it should be de-pressurized and dismantled before disposal. Release the product into a trash receptacle then remove the valve by unscrewing from the canister. The metal canister, once de-pressurized and empty, may be recycled as scrap metal. The powder and valve can go in the regular trash.
PLEASE NOTE: Very old fire extinguishers (often brass, glass, or copper) may contain extremely hazardous substances. Please contact your local fire department for disposal options.
Fluorescent Lights
Fluorescent light tubes, compact fluorescents (CFLs), and high density discharge (HID) bulbs contain small amounts of mercury and are considered hazardous. Please do not throw them in your trash! Many local hardware stores accept small quantities of bulbs. Norwich and Strafford residents may take them to their respective transfer stations. GUV residents may also take small quantities of bulbs to the Hartford Transfer Station. GUV also holds periodic special collections for bulbs. For more information click here.
Food
Please consider donating unwanted food to your local food/shelf pantry.
If the food is no longer edible, consider feeding it to chickens or other livestock*. (*VT Dept. of Agriculture has restrictions regarding what can and can't be fed animals being raised for human consumption.) If you don't have access to animals, try backyard composting. It reduces your trash costs significantly, prolongs the life of Vermont's one remaining landfill, and can be great for your garden. As of July 1, 2020 all Vermont residents will be required to sort their food scraps (with the exception of meat and bones) from their regular trash, so it's good to get started now!
Freon (a brand name we use to mean all refrigerants) is found in air conditioners, dehumidifiers, and refrigeration units. By law, Freon and other chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) cannot be released to the atmosphere but must be removed with special equipment. This is because the gases destroy the ozone in the atmosphere, leaving the Earth prone to higher levels of solar radiation. Please take your old refrigerator/freezer or air conditioner to the Hartford Transfer Station where the Freon will be properly removed for a small fee. Be careful not to puncture the tubes of the appliance and emit the gases into the atmosphere. Alternatively, you may be able to take Freon-containing appliances to Evergreen Recycling on "A" Street in Wilder for a fee (295-7506).
Furniture
Local thrift stores and yard sales are a great outlet for your used furniture. It may be of use to someone else even if you don't want it or don't consider it good enough. If the furniture is really beyond reuse, it can be taken to a GUV “Big Trash” collection or to the Hartford Recycling Center for disposal. Your local hauler may be willing to take it as well. It's best to call them first.
Gasoline
Waste gasoline is hazardous and highly flammable—please take it to a hazardous waste collection for proper disposal.
DO NOT dump it on the ground where it can get into the water supply. “If you dump it, you drink it.”
Glass
Glass food and beverage containers may be recycled with your regular recycling program. Most programs require that you rinse the containers. If the lid or cap is less than 2" in diameter, throw it in the trash. Smaller lids/caps fall through the grates in a MRF (Material Recovery Facility.) Labels do not need to be removed.
NOTE: In most cases*, you cannot recycle light bulbs, window glass, china, crystal, ceramics, mirrors or drinking glasses with food and beverage glass. These items contaminate regular recycled glass in very small amounts. Ask your hauler. *The Hartford Transfer Station/Recycling Center will accept most of these materials. Please ask at the gate house.
Grocery Bags
Junk Mail
Unwanted mail, white and colored office paper, envelopes, and cards (paper portions only, no plastic sleeves, sample CDs, etc.) can be recycled as mixed paper with your regular recycling program. If you find that you receive large quantities of mail which you do not want, contact the Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service and say “please remove my name from all mailing lists.” This needs to be done periodically to keep your name off the lists. Call (212) 768-7277, visit www.dmaconsumers.org, or by mail:
Mail Preference Service/Direct Marketing Association
PO Box 643
Carmel, NY 10512-0643
You can also stop the credit card offers. Call the credit bureaus to get your name off the shared list: (888) 567-8688. You can reduce the number of unwanted catalogs that you receive by going to www.catalogchoice.org as well.
Kerosene
Kerosene is flammable, and is considered a hazardous waste and must be disposed of at a hazardous waste collection.
Lead Paint Chips
Lead paint chips and dust are considered hazardous waste and should be disposed of at a hazardous waste collection.
Leaves, Grass, and Other Yard Wastes
Leaf/yard waste and clean (untreated wood) must be separated from your household trash and are not allowed to be landfilled. The best management is to let them decompose in a pile on your own property. Shredded leaves are an excellent addition to food scrap compost piles. Alternatively, yard wastes are accepted at the Hartford Recycling Center. Please call ahead to inquire about a possible disposal fee (802-295-5740).
Light Ballasts
Light ballasts are the heavy black boxes found in some fluorescent light bulb fixtures. They can be recycled with scrap metal if they are labeled “No PCBs”. Older ballasts contain capacitors whose oil contains hazardous polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). If a ballast is unmarked, bring it to a hazardous waste collection so the PCBs will not be released into the environment.
Magazines
If you read a subscription magazine and then dispose of it, consider passing it on to a friend, an office waiting room, your local library or school.
See also “Junk Mail.”
Mercury-Containing Devices
Fish and aquatic birds of prey, like loons, are especially vulnerable to lead fishing sinkers, and other sources of lead which are transformed by aquatic microorganisms into methyl mercury, and then accumulated up the food chain.
FUN FACT: The process of making felt hats used to include compounds containing mercury. The over exposure of mercury lead to brain deterioration in the hat makers. Hence the expression: "Mad as a hatter."
Metal
Many of the District towns provide ongoing scrap metal collection at their transfer station/recycling facilities. Scrap metal may also be recycled at no charge at the Hartford Recycling Center, except Freon-containing appliances. See “Freon”.
PLEASE NOTE: Large items like junk cars or large farm equipment cannot be taken at such events nor at the normal scrap metal piles, please see “Automobiles,” or give us a call for more options.
Mixed Paper
White and colored office paper, envelopes, unwanted mail, and cards (paper portions only, no plastic sleeves, no sample CDs, etc.) can be recycled as mixed paper with your regular recycling program. If you want to reduce your junk mail, see “Junk Mail.”
Motor Oil
Residents may take their used motor oil (no other automotive fluids) to the locations listed under "What To Do With..." or to a hazardous waste collection event. Please follow the requirements listed here, and call first to be sure they have room:
The Hartford Recycling Center, (Rte 5, White River Jct. 295-5740)
Requirements:
PLEASE NOTE: When used oil is dumped on the ground or poured down the drain, it becomes a serious pollutant of our ground and surface waters. Remember, if you dump it, you drink it!
Needles
To dispose of syringes safely, ask your physician or pharmacy if they will take back used syringes for disposal. If neither your physician nor your pharmacy provides a collection system for you, follow these suggestions:
Newspaper
Newspaper can be recycled with your regular recycling program. The rule for inserts is, “if it comes with the newspaper it can go with the newspaper.”
Office Paper
White office paper is sometimes collected separately from other mixed paper because of its high value in the recycling market. Ask at your recycling program to see if it is separated from or included in the mixed paper category.
Oil Filters
Oil filters can be recycled after being specially drained. Since most people do not have the time or facilities to properly drain the filter, they should be taken to a District hazardous waste or special oil collection for disposal. Since the filters have a lot of oil left in them, please don’t throw them in the trash. Some auto repair service stations might be able to take filters.
Oily Soil
Oil contamination of soil often happens under outdoor storage tanks or from leaky heavy equipment such as skidders. A large patch of oil-contaminated soil could be a serious environmental condition. In such cases, we recommend hiring an environmental consultant to assess the site and provide recommendations. For minor spots, landowners can treat the soil themselves, as the oil will degrade with encouragement. Place the soil on a plastic tarp, and add manure (the nitrogen helps speed degradation). Turn the soil to aerate and mix every few months until the soil is clean again.
Packing Peanuts See "styrofoam"
Paint Products
Pesticides, Herbicides, and Fungicides
Please take your pesticides and herbicides to a hazardous waste collection event. If you are a farm or business, please pre-register by contacting us. Thanks to grant funding through the Vermont Department of Agriculture, the District is able to take pesticides and herbicides from Vermont residents, farmers, and businesses free of charge. This is part of a program to remove old pesticides and herbicides from properties around the state.
Pharmaceuticals
Take to your local police station. Please do not flush them down the toilet or throw them in your regular trash.
Phone Books
Phone books may be placed with your regular recycling.
Pizza Boxes
If there is cheese stuck on the bottom, or big greasy stains, put the box in the trash. If the box is free of food and most grease it may be placed with your other recycling. Cardboard and box board make good sources of carbon (the brown stuff) for backyard composting.
Plastics
Most local transfer stations and commercial haulers will accept #1-#7 plastics. Do not be fooled by #6 polystyrene containers of any kind! They are not recyclable in this area of the country. Despite their convenience they never decompose. Use alternatives wherever possible. See "Styrofoam".
NOTE: Caps should be thrown away. Do not recycle motor oil jugs or chemical containers. See "Grocery Bags." Some dry cleaners will accept dry cleaning bags for recycling.
Printer Cartridges See "Toner Cartridges"
Rags and Oily Rags
Rags are generally not accepted at rummage sales nor through textiles recycling. Use them well, see if your mechanic wants them. When too far gone, they can go in regular trash. Oily rags from home workshops or art studios present a fire hazard as well as a air pollution hazard. Keep them in a fire-safe, closed container, then bring them to a hazardous waste collection.
Railroad Ties
Railroad ties may be disposed of with construction and demolition wastes (see Construction and Demolition Waste).
Rendering
Oils and fats from large cooking operations can be collected and reused for other purposes. Ask the company which supplies you with the oils to recommend a collection agent.
Scrap Metal See “Metal.”
Shoes
Shoes may be tied in pairs (or rubber-banded together) and go to local thrift shops with your used clothing.
Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Detectors may be disposed of as trash in Vermont.
Some smoke detectors may contain a small amount of radioactive material but they are an exempt radioactive product.
Many major manufacturers suggest you return the old units to them for recycling and disposal. First Alert, BRK Electronics, and Family Guard brand detectors can be returned by calling ahead to process a return: 1-800-323-9005.
Styrofoam
Tanks
Televisions
TVs may not go in the trash. They may be recycled with the State of Vermont’s electronics recycling program. Click here.
Textiles
Before you pitch your unwanted clothing and bedroom linens consider having a neighborhood yard sale or a clothing swap party with friends. Scroll to page 8 of the Green Guide for an updated list of local thrift and consignment shops. If your clothing is torn or stained offer them as rags to your local mechanic. As a last resort, put your clothing in a yellow Planet Aid box, found throughout the Upper Valley.
Thermometers and Thermostats
Thermometers containing silver liquid, and many older thermostats (round in shape or non-digital), contain mercury. Please take them to a hazardous waste collection. We can offer you one free replacement digital fever thermometer per household when you bring in your old one(s). Also see “Mercury-Containing Devices” for more details on mercury.
Tires
The District holds tire collections between April and October.
Toner Cartridges
Ink jet and laser printer cartridges, and typewriter cartridges and ribbons, can be re-filled and reused. However, they cannot be recycled with regular plastics, even if there is a recycling number on the cartridge. Ink jet cartridge recyclers often give revenues to charitable organizations to encourage recycling. Here are some places to recycle:
NOTE: Toner cartridges from photocopiers often cannot be refilled or recycled. These should be safely disposed of in the trash.
Toys
Your unneeded toys often could be enjoyed by someone else if they're clean and in good condition. Local day care centers and thrift stores often appreciate donations of toys in good condition. Yard sales, list serves, and toy swaps are other ways of reuse. If toys are broken, not repairable, and unable to be cleaned they may be thrown in the regular trash (if your curbside hauler will take them) or taken to one of the District's collection days.
Trash/Recycling
Please call your local town clerk's office.
It is illegal to burn trash in the State of Vermont. It is also illegal to bury trash on your own property, or dump or deposit it anywhere other than a legally certified disposal facility.
Trees and Brush
If you cut trees and brush into small pieces and leave them on the ground, they will decompose while providing habitat for many small creatures. The Hartford Recycling Center takes tree and brush waste for a fee. Maximum 4-foot length for logs less than 3-feet in diameter and maximum 3-foot lengths for large logs over 3-feet in diameter. Call 802-295-5740 for more information. See also “Christmas Trees.”
Tyvek
DuPont Tyvek is made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). It is not paper, but can be recycled for use in a variety of new products, including plastic lumber for picnic tables, park benches, construction fencing and also mud flaps. To recycle small quantities (less than 25 envelopes per month), turn any Tyvek envelope inside out, so the unprinted white surface shows on the outside. Stuff the inside-out Tyvek envelope with other used Tyvek envelopes for recycling. Address and mail the envelope to: Tyvek Recycling Specialist, CRP-Bldg. 705, 974 Centre Road, Wilmington, DE, 19805-0705.
Wood Ash
Wood ash can help in lawn growth when spread in a thin layer. It doesn't help your compost pile so best to leave it out. If completely COLD, wood ash may be disposed of as trash. It's a potential tremendous fire hazard for trash trucks and the landfill so be sure that the ash is STONE COLD.
Wrapping Paper
Most wrapping paper is recyclable EXCEPT Mylar (shiny plastic foil), metallic foil, paper with glitter or felt. Remove ribbons and bows before recycling. Better yet, flatten out the paper and reuse it along with ribbons and bows. Better yet, use paper grocery bags or newspaper for wrapping gifts.
Yard Waste
The District recommends composting yard wastes whenever possible. See “Leaves, Grass, and Other Yard Wastes.”
If containers have any product in them they are considered hazardous waste and should be taken to a hazardous waste collection. EMPTY aerosol containers may be recycled with other metal cans in most recycling programs. Caps are trash.
Agricultural Plastic
(Bale wrap, sheet plastic mulch, etc.)
Ag plastics should be managed as trash. Burning or burying agricultural plastics or other types of farm rubbish is strictly prohibited. Unfortunately, agricultural plastic is difficult to recycle and at this time there are no local recycling outlets.
Ammunition
Ammunition cannot be brought to a hazardous waste collection. If the ammo is in useable condition, your police department, a gun shop, or a friend may be able to use it. If the ammo is old, wet, or corroded, ask your police department about proper disposal.
Animals See “Dead Animals”
Antifreeze/Coolant
Coolant from vehicles (antifreeze) is considered hazardous waste and should be taken to a hazardous waste collection or to the Hartford Recycling Center. Some local service stations accept antifreeze. Give yours a call.
Appliances
Non-profit COVER Home Repair in White River Junction accepts donations of clean, working, large appliances as space allows for redistribution to needy members of the community. Please call ahead. LISTEN stores accept some small appliances in good working order. Community list serves and Front Porch Forum are other options for passing usable items along.
If no longer serviceable, appliances may be brought to the District’s scrap metal collections, or to recycling centers that accept them in their scrap metal pile. Although appliances are usually taken at no charge, there is usually a fee for the removal of CFC’s (Freon) from refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers, and A/C units. Appliances without Freon may be taken to the Hartford Recycling Center at no charge. Appliances with Freon require a $15 fee.
Asbestos
Removal of asbestos in any form, friable or non-friable may cause respiratory damage if inhaled. Friable asbestos (soft and fibrous such as pipe insulation) is the most hazardous. Non-friable asbestos (often found in siding and roof shingles and floor tiles of certain vintage) is less likely to break into airborne particles and therefore is less hazardous. If you have asbestos wastes, look in the yellow pages for “Asbestos Abatement & Removal” and “Asbestos Consulting & Testing.” Or call the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources at 802-241-3800 for further information.
Some forms of asbestos, such as tiles and roofing, do not need to be removed by a professional asbestos removal company, but disposal of these materials is very strict. Asbestos tiles, siding and roofing must be removed damp, wrapped securely in plastic and taken directly to a landfill or transfer station which accepts the materials.
Aseptic Food Containers
Aseptic food containers are plastic laminated, brick-shaped boxes such as kids’ juice boxes, soy-milk cartons, Parmalat boxes, and soup broth boxes. Unfortunately, aseptic packaging cannot be recycled at this time in our area.
Ashes
Ashes, wood or coal, may go in the trash if they are cold and bagged. They pose a dangerous fire hazard in homes, trash trucks and the landfill, so they must all be stone cold. Wetting ashes down before disposal is strongly recommended. In small quantities, ashes from raw wood can make a good amendment to compost.
Asphalt
Clean (no dirt) asphalt can be taken to Pike Industries, West Lebanon, NH to be turned into RAP, “recycled asphalt product.” No charge. Please call ahead: (603) 298-8554. Hammond Grinding will also accept clean asphalt. Please call ahead: (603) 523-4353
Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt shingles may be taken to the Hartford Recycling Center in their construction and demolition waste pile.
Automobiles
Junk cars can be recycled and many wrecker services will collect them, often at no charge to you. Make sure that the wrecker manages the hazardous automotive fluids correctly (gasoline, motor oil, antifreeze, brake fluid, battery, etc.). Look in the Yellow Pages under “Towing-Automotive.”
Ballasts See “Light Ballasts”
Batteries (Auto)
Auto parts stores take an old battery when you buy a new one, sometimes even giving a rebate. Also, you can take it to a recycling center that takes them (e.g. Hartford Recycling Center).
Batteries (Household)
ALL batteries are now recyclable in Vermont through Call2Recycle and we strongly urge you to take your batteries to your local transfer station, recycling facility, or retail establishment. Click here for information about how to prepare batteries for recycling and where to take them.
Books
Pass them on to friends, donate them to your local library for a book sale, sell them to a used bookstore, deposit them in a Big Hearted Books container near you (next to JC Penney in West Lebanon). The Hartford Recycling Center will accept books for recycling when they're no use to anyone else.
Boxboard/Chipboard
Boxboard is usually gray or brown when ripped. Examples include cereal boxes, pasta boxes (remove plastic windows), cracker boxes and tubes from toilet paper and paper towels. Please note: Containers for refrigerated or frozen foods (including six-pack and soda boxes) are not recyclable due to the “wet-strength” additive which keeps the box from falling apart. If a box is all white when ripped apart, it's trash.
Cans
Metal food and beverage cans may be recycled. Please rinse them clean. Labels do not need to be removed. Empty aerosol cans and empty, dry paint cans may be recycled as scrap metal at the Hartford Recycling Center and through other recycling centers.
Cardboard
Corrugated cardboard can be recycled with your regular recycling program. Please flatten the cardboard to allow maximum volume in any container. “Asian cardboard,” distinctively yellowish in color, is usually unacceptable. The cardboard fibers are very short and downgrade the quality of the other cardboard when recycled.
Catalogs
See “Magazines,” or “Junk Mail.”
Cell Phones
Cell phones can be reused or recycled through national programs. Several programs give a percentage of proceeds to charities.
- Collective Good~ www.collectivegood.com, (770) 856-9021
- Wireless Foundation ~ www.wirelessfoundation.org
- Keep America Green ~ www.ewasteaware.org
- Verizon HopeLine ~ Verizon Wireless retail stores, 1-800-426-2790
Christmas Trees
Christmas trees make excellent habitat for birds and other wildlife. Leave your tree out to decay naturally over time. Goats love to eat Christmas trees! Some towns chip trees into “Merry Mulch.” Contact your town office. The Hartford Recycling Center takes Christmas trees for free (with a facility permit) to the end of January.
Clothes
The Upper Valley hosts a number of thrift and consignment stores. Have a clothing swap party with your friends or neighbors.
Coal Ash
Coal ash can go in the trash if it is cold and bagged. They are a potential fire hazard for trash trucks and the landfill, so the ash must be completely stone cold.
Computers
Computers and computer peripherals may be recycled for free at any participating VT transfer station, thanks to Vermont E-Cycles. This includes monitors, printers, cables, and TVs. Check with your local transfer station before bringing items. The Hartford Transfer Station as well as Best Buy and Staples will also accept these materials. Please note: Some non-computer related "non-covered" electronics will have a disposal fee.
WinCycle in Windsor will accept certain marketable donated computers. Call first. (802) 674-6320
We urge you to recycle your computers and computer equipment and to keep them out of the landfill. They contain many recyclable and reusable materials, as well as toxic heavy metals.
CD/DVD/VHS/Etc.
GreenDisk in Columbia, Missouri takes CDs, DVDs, diskettes, ink cartridges, cell phones, videotapes, pagers, PDAs, and all of your “byte-sized” techno trash for recycling. CD Recycling of America in Salem, NH will recycle CDs and DVDs. There may be a fee involved for either of these businesses. The above items are NOT recyclable through your local recycling program.
Concrete
Clean waste concrete—no rebar, dirt, etc. Pike Industries, West Lebanon, NH. Call first at 603-298-8554.
Construction & Demolition Materials (C & D)
"Clean" wood must be kept out of landfill-bound trash! Click here for more information on C&D recycling.
Reuse. If materials can be used by someone else, try one of the following options:
- COVER Home Repair, WRJ ~ (802) 296-7241
- Vermont Salvage Exchange, WRJ ~ (802) 295-7616
- Freecycle, Front Porch Forum, Your local List Serve
- Hammond Grinding and Recycling, Canaan NH (603) 523-4353
- VT Agency of Natural Resources C & D Information
- Hartford Recycling Center, US Route 5 South (802) 295-5740
Dead Animals
When a pet or farm animal dies there are several ways legally to handle them. According to the Vermont Department of Health you may bury the animal on your property as long as you take some precautions. The animal should be buried at least 100 feet from a water source and should be at least 2 feet underground and covered with 10 pounds of lime to discourage other animals from digging it up. Many veterinarians also provide a service for the disposal of animals. Rendering companies will sometimes accept large animals. Your local game warden will pick up a deer or moose.
Dry Cleaning Bags & Hangers
Some dry cleaners will take back bags and hangers for recycling and/or reuse. Hangers may also be recycled as scrap metal through your regular recycling outlet.
Egg Cartons
Offer them to someone with chickens. They also make great craft supply holders. Egg cartons made of paper may be recycled with mixed paper or boxboard at your recycling center. If you can't find someone to reuse your Styrofoam or clear plastic cartons they go in the trash. Try to avoid Styrofoam whenever possible.
Electronics
Small working electrical appliances may be donated to thrift shops. Some transfer stations accept electronics, along with computers and TVs through Vermont E-Cycles. All electronics are banned from the Vermont landfills.
Explosives
Nitroglycerin gradually leaches out of TNT and other explosives and becomes unstable. Contact the state police. Please do not transport or dispose of explosives yourself.
Fire Extinguishers
Fire extinguishers are not accepted at our household hazardous waste events. Some fire extinguishers can be refilled but many household fire extinguishers sold today are not refillable. If you cannot refill your common "ABC" compressed air, dry powder extinguisher, it should be de-pressurized and dismantled before disposal. Release the product into a trash receptacle then remove the valve by unscrewing from the canister. The metal canister, once de-pressurized and empty, may be recycled as scrap metal. The powder and valve can go in the regular trash.
PLEASE NOTE: Very old fire extinguishers (often brass, glass, or copper) may contain extremely hazardous substances. Please contact your local fire department for disposal options.
Fluorescent Lights
Fluorescent light tubes, compact fluorescents (CFLs), and high density discharge (HID) bulbs contain small amounts of mercury and are considered hazardous. Please do not throw them in your trash! Many local hardware stores accept small quantities of bulbs. Norwich and Strafford residents may take them to their respective transfer stations. GUV residents may also take small quantities of bulbs to the Hartford Transfer Station. GUV also holds periodic special collections for bulbs. For more information click here.
Food
Please consider donating unwanted food to your local food/shelf pantry.
If the food is no longer edible, consider feeding it to chickens or other livestock*. (*VT Dept. of Agriculture has restrictions regarding what can and can't be fed animals being raised for human consumption.) If you don't have access to animals, try backyard composting. It reduces your trash costs significantly, prolongs the life of Vermont's one remaining landfill, and can be great for your garden. As of July 1, 2020 all Vermont residents will be required to sort their food scraps (with the exception of meat and bones) from their regular trash, so it's good to get started now!
Freon (a brand name we use to mean all refrigerants) is found in air conditioners, dehumidifiers, and refrigeration units. By law, Freon and other chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) cannot be released to the atmosphere but must be removed with special equipment. This is because the gases destroy the ozone in the atmosphere, leaving the Earth prone to higher levels of solar radiation. Please take your old refrigerator/freezer or air conditioner to the Hartford Transfer Station where the Freon will be properly removed for a small fee. Be careful not to puncture the tubes of the appliance and emit the gases into the atmosphere. Alternatively, you may be able to take Freon-containing appliances to Evergreen Recycling on "A" Street in Wilder for a fee (295-7506).
Furniture
Local thrift stores and yard sales are a great outlet for your used furniture. It may be of use to someone else even if you don't want it or don't consider it good enough. If the furniture is really beyond reuse, it can be taken to a GUV “Big Trash” collection or to the Hartford Recycling Center for disposal. Your local hauler may be willing to take it as well. It's best to call them first.
Gasoline
Waste gasoline is hazardous and highly flammable—please take it to a hazardous waste collection for proper disposal.
DO NOT dump it on the ground where it can get into the water supply. “If you dump it, you drink it.”
Glass
Glass food and beverage containers may be recycled with your regular recycling program. Most programs require that you rinse the containers. If the lid or cap is less than 2" in diameter, throw it in the trash. Smaller lids/caps fall through the grates in a MRF (Material Recovery Facility.) Labels do not need to be removed.
NOTE: In most cases*, you cannot recycle light bulbs, window glass, china, crystal, ceramics, mirrors or drinking glasses with food and beverage glass. These items contaminate regular recycled glass in very small amounts. Ask your hauler. *The Hartford Transfer Station/Recycling Center will accept most of these materials. Please ask at the gate house.
Grocery Bags
- Reduce. If you accumulate a lot of paper or plastic grocery bags, consider switching to reusable sacks. They are easier to handle and stronger.
- Reuse. The Upper Valley Co-op, many village stores, and thrift stores such as SEVCA and LISTEN, accept clean brown bags or plastic bags for reuse.
- Recycle. Brown paper bags can be recycled with cardboard in your regular recycling program. Some grocery stores accept plastic grocery bags for recycling. Look in the front of the store for a collection container. Be sure to put only plastic grocery bags into the collection container.
Junk Mail
Unwanted mail, white and colored office paper, envelopes, and cards (paper portions only, no plastic sleeves, sample CDs, etc.) can be recycled as mixed paper with your regular recycling program. If you find that you receive large quantities of mail which you do not want, contact the Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service and say “please remove my name from all mailing lists.” This needs to be done periodically to keep your name off the lists. Call (212) 768-7277, visit www.dmaconsumers.org, or by mail:
Mail Preference Service/Direct Marketing Association
PO Box 643
Carmel, NY 10512-0643
You can also stop the credit card offers. Call the credit bureaus to get your name off the shared list: (888) 567-8688. You can reduce the number of unwanted catalogs that you receive by going to www.catalogchoice.org as well.
Kerosene
Kerosene is flammable, and is considered a hazardous waste and must be disposed of at a hazardous waste collection.
Lead Paint Chips
Lead paint chips and dust are considered hazardous waste and should be disposed of at a hazardous waste collection.
Leaves, Grass, and Other Yard Wastes
Leaf/yard waste and clean (untreated wood) must be separated from your household trash and are not allowed to be landfilled. The best management is to let them decompose in a pile on your own property. Shredded leaves are an excellent addition to food scrap compost piles. Alternatively, yard wastes are accepted at the Hartford Recycling Center. Please call ahead to inquire about a possible disposal fee (802-295-5740).
Light Ballasts
Light ballasts are the heavy black boxes found in some fluorescent light bulb fixtures. They can be recycled with scrap metal if they are labeled “No PCBs”. Older ballasts contain capacitors whose oil contains hazardous polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). If a ballast is unmarked, bring it to a hazardous waste collection so the PCBs will not be released into the environment.
Magazines
If you read a subscription magazine and then dispose of it, consider passing it on to a friend, an office waiting room, your local library or school.
See also “Junk Mail.”
Mercury-Containing Devices
- thermometers with silver fluid,
- thermostats (non-digital),
- fluorescent light bulbs,
- gas-fired appliances,
- some trunk light switches on cars,
- button-size batteries,
- dairy barn manometers
Fish and aquatic birds of prey, like loons, are especially vulnerable to lead fishing sinkers, and other sources of lead which are transformed by aquatic microorganisms into methyl mercury, and then accumulated up the food chain.
FUN FACT: The process of making felt hats used to include compounds containing mercury. The over exposure of mercury lead to brain deterioration in the hat makers. Hence the expression: "Mad as a hatter."
Metal
Many of the District towns provide ongoing scrap metal collection at their transfer station/recycling facilities. Scrap metal may also be recycled at no charge at the Hartford Recycling Center, except Freon-containing appliances. See “Freon”.
PLEASE NOTE: Large items like junk cars or large farm equipment cannot be taken at such events nor at the normal scrap metal piles, please see “Automobiles,” or give us a call for more options.
Mixed Paper
White and colored office paper, envelopes, unwanted mail, and cards (paper portions only, no plastic sleeves, no sample CDs, etc.) can be recycled as mixed paper with your regular recycling program. If you want to reduce your junk mail, see “Junk Mail.”
Motor Oil
Residents may take their used motor oil (no other automotive fluids) to the locations listed under "What To Do With..." or to a hazardous waste collection event. Please follow the requirements listed here, and call first to be sure they have room:
The Hartford Recycling Center, (Rte 5, White River Jct. 295-5740)
Requirements:
- The oil must be “clean” (No water, No antifreeze, No other fluids mixed with it).
- No more than 5 gallons at a time.
- One-gallon container maximum size.
- Container must be see-through—like milk jugs or windshield fluid.
PLEASE NOTE: When used oil is dumped on the ground or poured down the drain, it becomes a serious pollutant of our ground and surface waters. Remember, if you dump it, you drink it!
Needles
To dispose of syringes safely, ask your physician or pharmacy if they will take back used syringes for disposal. If neither your physician nor your pharmacy provides a collection system for you, follow these suggestions:
- Make a large warning label that says: “USED SYRINGES” and “DO NOT RECYCLE.” Put the label on an empty PETE #1 plastic bottle like a soda bottle. (Studies show this type of container to be the most puncture resistant.) Carefully put each of your used syringes into the bottle.
- When it is full, put heavy tape over the closed bottle cap and dispose of the filled bottle in your household trash. Do NOT put the container in your recycling bin!
Newspaper
Newspaper can be recycled with your regular recycling program. The rule for inserts is, “if it comes with the newspaper it can go with the newspaper.”
Office Paper
White office paper is sometimes collected separately from other mixed paper because of its high value in the recycling market. Ask at your recycling program to see if it is separated from or included in the mixed paper category.
Oil Filters
Oil filters can be recycled after being specially drained. Since most people do not have the time or facilities to properly drain the filter, they should be taken to a District hazardous waste or special oil collection for disposal. Since the filters have a lot of oil left in them, please don’t throw them in the trash. Some auto repair service stations might be able to take filters.
Oily Soil
Oil contamination of soil often happens under outdoor storage tanks or from leaky heavy equipment such as skidders. A large patch of oil-contaminated soil could be a serious environmental condition. In such cases, we recommend hiring an environmental consultant to assess the site and provide recommendations. For minor spots, landowners can treat the soil themselves, as the oil will degrade with encouragement. Place the soil on a plastic tarp, and add manure (the nitrogen helps speed degradation). Turn the soil to aerate and mix every few months until the soil is clean again.
Packing Peanuts See "styrofoam"
Paint Products
- Empty Paint Cans. Clean, dry, empty latex paint cans may be recycled with other metal cans or with scrap metal at your closest transfer station/recycling center. Empty plastic latex paint containers are trash.
- Partially Full Cans. If there is any paint left in the can, do not put it in the trash and do not dump it down the drain! Liquid paint in the trash makes a huge mess and is not allowed in a landfill. Septic/sewer systems are not designed to treat any type of paint. First try to find a friend or neighbor who can use the paint, then:
- All Paint — Click here to learn what to do with all of your paint through the VT PaintCare Program.
Pesticides, Herbicides, and Fungicides
Please take your pesticides and herbicides to a hazardous waste collection event. If you are a farm or business, please pre-register by contacting us. Thanks to grant funding through the Vermont Department of Agriculture, the District is able to take pesticides and herbicides from Vermont residents, farmers, and businesses free of charge. This is part of a program to remove old pesticides and herbicides from properties around the state.
Pharmaceuticals
Take to your local police station. Please do not flush them down the toilet or throw them in your regular trash.
Phone Books
Phone books may be placed with your regular recycling.
Pizza Boxes
If there is cheese stuck on the bottom, or big greasy stains, put the box in the trash. If the box is free of food and most grease it may be placed with your other recycling. Cardboard and box board make good sources of carbon (the brown stuff) for backyard composting.
Plastics
Most local transfer stations and commercial haulers will accept #1-#7 plastics. Do not be fooled by #6 polystyrene containers of any kind! They are not recyclable in this area of the country. Despite their convenience they never decompose. Use alternatives wherever possible. See "Styrofoam".
NOTE: Caps should be thrown away. Do not recycle motor oil jugs or chemical containers. See "Grocery Bags." Some dry cleaners will accept dry cleaning bags for recycling.
Printer Cartridges See "Toner Cartridges"
Rags and Oily Rags
Rags are generally not accepted at rummage sales nor through textiles recycling. Use them well, see if your mechanic wants them. When too far gone, they can go in regular trash. Oily rags from home workshops or art studios present a fire hazard as well as a air pollution hazard. Keep them in a fire-safe, closed container, then bring them to a hazardous waste collection.
Railroad Ties
Railroad ties may be disposed of with construction and demolition wastes (see Construction and Demolition Waste).
Rendering
Oils and fats from large cooking operations can be collected and reused for other purposes. Ask the company which supplies you with the oils to recommend a collection agent.
Scrap Metal See “Metal.”
Shoes
Shoes may be tied in pairs (or rubber-banded together) and go to local thrift shops with your used clothing.
Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Detectors may be disposed of as trash in Vermont.
Some smoke detectors may contain a small amount of radioactive material but they are an exempt radioactive product.
Many major manufacturers suggest you return the old units to them for recycling and disposal. First Alert, BRK Electronics, and Family Guard brand detectors can be returned by calling ahead to process a return: 1-800-323-9005.
Styrofoam
- Food Related-- Polystyrene (PS#6) plastic—found under meats, and in clam-shell type packaging—is not currently recyclable in our area.
- Packing Materials-- Styrofoam packing peanuts and packing blocks cannot be recycled. The UPS Store (Shaw's Plaza, West Lebanon NH 603-298-7890) and Hanover True Value/UPS (East South Street, Hanover NH 603-643-2308) both collect peanuts. Please call ahead. Many retailers who ship merchandise, including maple syrup producers, may take packing peanuts as well.
Tanks
- Propane tanks—Pressurized tanks which are empty or which no longer work (propane, butane, oxygen, etc.) should be returned to the retailer or manufacturer. Some retailers take your used tank when you buy a new one, even if the old one wasn't theirs. For grill tanks, swapping them at a department store or convenience store is a good bet, as they often save you money on a new tank with the new "over-fill protection" valve. If you cannot find an outlet for your empty tank, you may take it to a hazardous waste collection or the Hartford Transfer Station.
- Fuel oil tanks—A fuel oil tank cannot go in the scrap metal pile unless it has been cut in half, a potentially explosive task. The tanks also often have hazardous sludge in them. Best bet is to hire a tank removal company, which can be found in the yellow pages under "Environmental Products and Services" or "Tank Cleaning".
Televisions
TVs may not go in the trash. They may be recycled with the State of Vermont’s electronics recycling program. Click here.
Textiles
Before you pitch your unwanted clothing and bedroom linens consider having a neighborhood yard sale or a clothing swap party with friends. Scroll to page 8 of the Green Guide for an updated list of local thrift and consignment shops. If your clothing is torn or stained offer them as rags to your local mechanic. As a last resort, put your clothing in a yellow Planet Aid box, found throughout the Upper Valley.
Thermometers and Thermostats
Thermometers containing silver liquid, and many older thermostats (round in shape or non-digital), contain mercury. Please take them to a hazardous waste collection. We can offer you one free replacement digital fever thermometer per household when you bring in your old one(s). Also see “Mercury-Containing Devices” for more details on mercury.
Tires
The District holds tire collections between April and October.
Toner Cartridges
Ink jet and laser printer cartridges, and typewriter cartridges and ribbons, can be re-filled and reused. However, they cannot be recycled with regular plastics, even if there is a recycling number on the cartridge. Ink jet cartridge recyclers often give revenues to charitable organizations to encourage recycling. Here are some places to recycle:
- Staples and Best Buy
- Vermont Toner Recharge (Burlington) 802-864-7637
- Ribbon Recyclers (Williston) 802-660-8960
NOTE: Toner cartridges from photocopiers often cannot be refilled or recycled. These should be safely disposed of in the trash.
Toys
Your unneeded toys often could be enjoyed by someone else if they're clean and in good condition. Local day care centers and thrift stores often appreciate donations of toys in good condition. Yard sales, list serves, and toy swaps are other ways of reuse. If toys are broken, not repairable, and unable to be cleaned they may be thrown in the regular trash (if your curbside hauler will take them) or taken to one of the District's collection days.
Trash/Recycling
Please call your local town clerk's office.
It is illegal to burn trash in the State of Vermont. It is also illegal to bury trash on your own property, or dump or deposit it anywhere other than a legally certified disposal facility.
Trees and Brush
If you cut trees and brush into small pieces and leave them on the ground, they will decompose while providing habitat for many small creatures. The Hartford Recycling Center takes tree and brush waste for a fee. Maximum 4-foot length for logs less than 3-feet in diameter and maximum 3-foot lengths for large logs over 3-feet in diameter. Call 802-295-5740 for more information. See also “Christmas Trees.”
Tyvek
DuPont Tyvek is made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). It is not paper, but can be recycled for use in a variety of new products, including plastic lumber for picnic tables, park benches, construction fencing and also mud flaps. To recycle small quantities (less than 25 envelopes per month), turn any Tyvek envelope inside out, so the unprinted white surface shows on the outside. Stuff the inside-out Tyvek envelope with other used Tyvek envelopes for recycling. Address and mail the envelope to: Tyvek Recycling Specialist, CRP-Bldg. 705, 974 Centre Road, Wilmington, DE, 19805-0705.
Wood Ash
Wood ash can help in lawn growth when spread in a thin layer. It doesn't help your compost pile so best to leave it out. If completely COLD, wood ash may be disposed of as trash. It's a potential tremendous fire hazard for trash trucks and the landfill so be sure that the ash is STONE COLD.
Wrapping Paper
Most wrapping paper is recyclable EXCEPT Mylar (shiny plastic foil), metallic foil, paper with glitter or felt. Remove ribbons and bows before recycling. Better yet, flatten out the paper and reuse it along with ribbons and bows. Better yet, use paper grocery bags or newspaper for wrapping gifts.
Yard Waste
The District recommends composting yard wastes whenever possible. See “Leaves, Grass, and Other Yard Wastes.”