This week New Castle was recognized by Pace U’s “How Green Is My Town” program as a leader in sustainability.
March 26, 2010
by Laura Rossi-Ortiz
With April just around the corner, many of us are about to embark on the annual ritual of spring cleaning. In my house, it takes all hands on deck to deal with the junk that has accumulated over the past twelve months, particularly personal documents that need to be shredded, household chemicals, outdated electronics, plastic bags and outdated medications that have piled up in various cabinets and the garage like some island of misfit products.
It may be tempting to empty containers down the drain or haul the junk out to the curb on trash day. But toxic chemicals that are not properly disposed of cause serious damage to wildlife, water quality and public health.
Fortunately, help is on the way. At Westchester County’s Household Recycling Days, residents can bring a wide variety of items to be safely discarded. There are six Household Recycling Days scheduled between April and June: the weekend of April 9-10 at Playland in Rye; the weekend of May 7-8 at FDR Park in Yorktown; and the weekend of June 1-112 at Westchester Community College in Valhalla. Click HERE for the schedule.
The County also has a Mobile Shredder, which is a quick and safe way to get documents destroyed. You can bring up to four file boxes of personal papers for shredding on the spot. The Mobile Shredder is present at every Household Recycling Day.
For those of you who want to get a head start on spring cleaning, the County’s Mobile Shredder will be in our backyard this Saturday, March 27th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mount Pleasant Pool and Recreation Center, 125 Lozza Drive, Valhalla. Click HERE to see a map.
What can be disposed of on Household Recycling Day?
A wide range of items can be dropped off on Household Recycling Days, including such hard to dispose of materials as expired medications, electronic waste and many types of liquids and chemicals. Here is a short list of acceptable items:
1. Properly labeled household chemicals, including
1. Most automotive fluids: antifreeze, brake fluid, gasoline, but not motor oil, which can be brought to a service station
2. Flammable liquids: kerosene, butane, charcoal fluid, turpentine
3. Metal, jewelry and furniture polishes, wood preservatives
4. Pesticides, insecticides, herbicides
5. Photography and swimming pool chemicals
2. Florescent light bulbs and CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs)
3. Fire extinguishers
4. Propane Tanks (2, 5, 10 and 20 lbs)
5. Cell phones
6. Batteries: auto, non-rechargeable, rechargeable and button cell
7. Up to 10 car tires
8. Electronic waste: computer monitors, towers, peripherals, printers, tv, faxes, phones, cell phones, radios, stereos, speakers
9. Appliances with freon, including freezers, refrigerators, dehumidifiers, air conditioners
10. Expired or unused pharmaceuticals in their original container: prescription, over the county, veterinary medication
11. Plastic bags.
County staffers will be on hand to help you unload your vehicle. The last time I brought items to Household Recycling Day, I didn’t even have to leave my car! Everything was quickly unloaded in a matter of minutes, and I was on my way.
Now that’s spring cleaning!
For more information on proper disposal of special wastes, call the County’s Recycling Helpline at (914) 813-5425.
Laura Rossi-Ortiz is a member of the Town’s Sustainability Advisory Board. To learn more about the New Castle’s commitment to reduce its carbon footprint, click HERE.
For the Town of New Castle’s Guide to Recycling, click HERE.
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