A - Z Recycling and Waste Guide
S
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.
Aluminum cans, pie plates, and foil
Clean and dry - recycle according to your hauler or transfer station's guidance.
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 or a gun shop 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. Some local service stations accept antifreeze. Give yours a call.
Appliances
Clothes dryers, dishwashers, freezers, refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, water heaters
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 listservs and Front Porch Forum are other options for passing along usable items.
If no longer serviceable, appliances may be brought to your local transfer station. Although appliances are sometimes taken at no charge, there is a fee for the removal of CFC’s (Freon) from refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers, and A/C units.
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
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. Your transfer station may also take auto batteries.
Batteries (Household)
ALL batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9v, hearing aid, coin cell, rechargeables) are recyclable in Vermont through Call2Recycle and we strongly urge you to take your batteries to your local transfer station for proper recycling. Click here for information about what happens to the batteries after you take them to the transfer station or participating town office.
Books
Pass them on to friends, donate them to your local library for a book sale, or sell them to a used bookstore. The Springfield Transfer Station's Second Chance Shop will accept books for re-use. The transfer stations will also recycle books when they're of 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.
Cans
Metal food and non-deposit 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 your transfer station. Bring the redeemable (deposit) cans to a redemption center
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
Clean Wood
The five transfer stations in the District accept clean wood: Cavendish, Ludlow, Rockingham, Springfield, and Weathersfield.
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.
Clothes Dryer See "Appliances"
Clothing/Textiles
There are a number of thrift stores in the area that accept clean and dry clothing for resale:
- The Community Closet Thrift Store
- The Community Christmas Fund of Immanuel Episcopal Church
- Greater Falls United Network
- Parks Place
- Our Place, and
- Other local organizations.
Thrift Store hours are 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Wednesdays and Saturdays 802-463-3100
- SEVCA Good Buy Stores
SEVCA is a 501(c)3 non-profit human services agency. Proceeds from recycling fund the agency's programs, which include weatherization, family services, crisis fuel, Head Start, Outreach, and helping those in need in our Vermont communities.
SEVCA locations:
Hartford-Wilder, Vermont
Mon - Fri: 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sat: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sun: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
802-359-4183
goodbuy@ sover.net
676 Hartford Ave.
(near high school)
Bellows Falls, Vermont
Mon - Fri: 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Sat.: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
802-463-9084
I-91 Exit 5 or 6,
45 Rockingham St.
Springfield, Vermont
Mon - Sat: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
802-885-7074
1-91 Exit 7
23-25 Main Street
- Black River Good Neighbor Services
Ludlow, VT
802-228-3663
- Who is Sylvia?
26 Central St
Woodstock, VT
802-457-1110
- The Bridgewater Thrift Store
101 Mill Road
Bridgewater, Vermont
802-672-1990
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 Vermont transfer station, thanks to Vermont E-Cycles. This includes monitors, printers, cables, and TVs. And they'll accept these materials from any Vermont resident - no facility permit needed for these materials. Please note: other electronics will have a disposal fee.
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 listserv
Recycling C&D waste should be recycled whenever possible. Here are two sources:
- Hammond Grinding and Recycling, Canaan NH (603) 523-4353
- VT Agency of Natural Resources C & D Information
Disposal Please be sure to properly separate trash from C&D waste.
- Hartford Recycling Center, US Route 5 South (802) 295-5740
Contaminated Soil
Oil contamination of soil often happens under outdoor storage tanks or from leaky heavy equipment such as skidders. If you have soil that is suspected of, or known to be contaminated with hazardous substances such as oil or lead, contact the Hazardous Waste Division of the VT Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) at (802) 828-1138 for assistance.
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.
Dishwasher See "Appliances"
Drugs
You have leftover pain medications from surgery or you are cleaning out a deceased loved one's medicine cabinet. What do you do with these drugs which can be dangerous to humans and the environment if not disposed of quickly and properly? Bring them to a local police department (Ludlow, Springfield, Windsor) which has a secure drop box. The federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) also holds an annual or bi-annual "Take Back Day" to collect unwanted prescription drugs. Find out the next date and locations HERE
Dry Cleaning Bags & Hangers
Some dry cleaners will take back bags and hangers for recycling and/or reuse. Metal hangers may also be recycled as scrap metal through your regular recycling outlet. The clear bags are also accepted at local grocery stores which host "Recycle your grocery bags here" bins.
Drywall
Clean drywall from construction or remodeling projects can be recycled at -
Myers Recycling Center
216 Red Can Drive
Colchester , Vermont
655-4312
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! Bring them to your transfer station for free, proper recycling. Some local hardware stores accept small quantities of 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.
Another option - bring food scraps (including meat, bones, and fats) to your transfer station and add it to their toter(s). Many transfer stations offer this service at no charge.
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!
Freezer See "Appliances"
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 your local 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 use, bring it to your transfer station for disposal. Or your local hauler may be willing to take it. 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 but check first because some transfer stations require that the glass be recycled separately. 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 at 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. Even in very small amounts, these items contaminate regular recycled glass. Ask your transfer station operator or trash hauler.
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 or inside for a collection container. Be sure to put only clean and dry 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 (since July 1, 2016). 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 your local transfer station.
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 your local transfer station for proper disposal.
Magazines
After you read a subscription magazine and before you recycle it, consider passing the magazine 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, and
- dairy barn manometers
- relays
- neon signs
FUN FACT: The process of making felt hats used to include compounds containing mercury. The over-exposure of mercury led to brain deterioration in the hat makers. Hence the expression: "Mad as a hatter."
Metal
Many of the District towns provide free, ongoing scrap metal collection at their transfer station, except for Freon-containing appliances. See “Freon”.
PLEASE NOTE: Large items like junk cars or large farm equipment cannot be added to 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-but-clean motor oil (no other automotive fluids) to the locations listed below. (If the oil is contaminated with antifreeze or water or anything, take it to a household hazardous waste collection.) Please follow the requirements listed here, and call first to be sure they have room:
- Spurr's Repair in Perkinsville, 263-5459
- Advance Auto Parts in Springfield, 546-2558
- Matulonis Body Shop in Springfield, 885-5000
- Tony's Used Autos, North Hartland, 295-2215
- Adams Trucking and Excavating, Westminster, 463-2213
- Wal-Mart and Auto Zone
Requirements:
- The oil must be “clean” (No water, No antifreeze, No other fluids mixed with it).
- Typically, 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 plastic bottle like a laundry detergent bottle. 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 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. If you have soil that is suspected of, or known to be contaminated with hazardous substances such as oil or lead, contact the Hazardous Waste Division of the VT Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) at (802) 828-1138 for assistance.
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 — The District hosts household hazardous waste collection events in the spring and fall at which paint is accepted, along with a host of other hazardous materials. Bring unwanted paint to those events OR to one of the following retailers:
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
Disposal optionsThree easy steps to properly store and get rid of medications:
LOCK
Store your medications in a lock box or locked medicine cabinet.
DROP
Many pharmacies and law enforcement facilities operate year-round drug collection or drop-off programs. Find participating sites near you at Vermont Department of Health.
Or mail unused medication in a pre-paid envelope. Visit the Vermont Department of Health for details.
Limitations, regulations and other specificationsDo NOT pour or flush medications down the drain. Water treatment plants and septic tanks are not designed to remove these chemicals.
Take to your local police station. Many of them have receptacles in their lobbies for unwanted medicines.
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
Some 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".
All transfer stations and trash haulers must accept #1 (PET) and #2 (HDPE) plastic containers.
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"
Propane Tanks Your local transfer station will accept them for a small fee per unit. Extra-large tanks (100+ lb) - Not accepted at any transfer station; contact a propane supply vendor.
Prosthetics
Penta Medical Recycling collects used prostheses to bring high quality, low cost prosthetic care to amputees all over the world. Visit their website to learn more about their work and how to donate (free shipping).
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).
Range See "Appliances"
Recyclables Ask your trash hauler or transfer station for their specific guidelines.
Refrigerator See "Appliances"
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.”
Sharps See "Syringes"
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.
Steel Cans
Clean and dry - recycle according to your hauler or transfer station's guidelines.
Stove See "Appliances"
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.
Syringes
To properly dispose of "sharps" and syringes, it's safer to toss them into a thick plastic container such as an empty laundry detergent bottle; it's more puncture-resistant than most other types of plastic bottles.
The District has created a fluorescent orange warning sticker. Apply it to an empty laundry detergent bottle. Used syringes and other sharps should be placed inside and collected until the bottle is 2/3 full.
The bottle should then be capped and sealed with heavy duty tape.
Final steps...dispose of the bottle in your household trash and let your garbage hauler know that sharps are present. Do NOT recycle the container. For stickers, call the District at 674-9235 or e-mail mobrien@swcrpc.org. We will mail them to you.
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.
Tennis Balls
A Vermont non-profit, RecycleBalls.org, has a mission is "to recycle/and reuse every tennis ball in the United States!" They partner with many courts and organizations with their QuickShip bin/ship program. Check with your local tennis club to see if they are connected with RecycleBalls.org.
Textiles
- Before you pitch your unwanted clothing and bedroom linens consider having a neighborhood yard sale or a clothing swap party with friends.
- Thrift stores will accept clothing and linens that are in good to excellent condition that they can sell. See "Clothing" for a list of area thrift stores.
- If you use the Ludlow or Springfield transfer stations, you can bring saleable clothing and linens there.
- 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 District.
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
Each of the five transfer stations in the District accepts tires for a fee.
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
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).
The Lego company has a pilot project, Lego Replay, created for people who don't want to hold on to their grown children's Legos. LEGO is cleaning and repackaging pre-loved bricks and sending them to charities for kids. And shipping is FREE!
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. Alternatively, the five transfer stations in the District will accept brush and wood trimmings; call to ask for guidance specific to each location.
Tyvek
DuPont Tyvek is made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). It is not paper so do not add it to your curbside blue recycling bin and do not bring it to your recycling center. It 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 but it is unclear whether or not Dupont, which makes the product, has a recycling program for Tyvek.
Washing Machine See "Appliances"
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. Best 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.”