FREE Electronics Recycling Drop off Days

Also in celebration of America Recycles Day, 5R Processors is sponsoring two FREE Electronics Recycling Drop off Days, November 13 and 14, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.


5R Processors is located at 3274 Democrat Road (Democrat & Tchulahoma). Call 546-0088 or visit their website for more information.

There is a $10 fee for each TV that must be paid in cash.

Shattered

I've been getting a lot of questions about CFLs lately--especially about their mercury content.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs do contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing.

If a CFL breaks, the EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal guidelines:

Before Clean-up: Ventilate the Room

1. Have people and pets leave the room, and don't let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
2. Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
3. Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.

Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces

4. Carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
5. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
6. Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and place them in the glass jar or plastic bag.
7. Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.

Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug

4. Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
5. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
6. If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
7. Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.

Disposal of Clean-up Materials

8. Immediately place all cleanup materials outside the building in a trash container or outdoor protected area for the next normal trash.
9. Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials.
10. Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states prohibit such trash disposal and require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center.

Future Cleaning of Carpeting or Rug: Ventilate the Room During and After Vacuuming

11. The next several times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a window prior to vacuuming.
12. Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed.

Until CFL retailers start offering on-site recycling/disposal options, all used CFLS should be taken to the Memphis & Shelby County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility at Shelby Farms Park.

Household Hazardous Waste

Since I am thinking outside of the garbage can this week, I decided to make a trip to the Household Hazardous Waste Facility out on Farm Road in Shelby Farms. Improperly disposing of household hazardous wastes by pouring them down the drain, on the ground, into storm sewers, or (in some cases) putting them out with the trash can pollute the environment and pose a threat to human health.

While the collection facility is not exactly close to my house, it is in a prime location. Driving through Shelby Farms—one of the largest urban parks in the United States with approximately 700 acres of wetlands and hardwood forest—one can’t help but think about the importance of protecting our natural resources. Of primary concern to Shelby County residents is protecting the Memphis Sands Aquifer, our source of drinking water.

Now that the permanent collection facility is open, Shelby County residents can drop off household materials twice a week, rather than just once a year. The facility is open every Tuesday and Saturday from 8:30am-1:00pm. Since opening in late November, the facility has had over 2700 people drop off household hazardous waste.

Inmates who work at the facility unload hazardous items from cars, in a convenient drive-through system. Items are then sorted into four categories: flammable, non-flammable, caustic, and acidic. From there items are packaged in boxes, barrels, or on pallets for pick up by a variety of vendors.


The number one collected item at the facility is latex paint. However, latex paint is not hazardous when dry. Lisa Williams, the Environmental Programs Coordinator, suggests removing the lid and placing the can in a safe, well-ventilated area. Cans with ¼ or less will dry in a few days. For cans with greater volume, you can add mulch or cat-litter to dry up the paint. Once dry, it is okay to place the can in a separate bag in your garbage.

However, since we are thinking green here, remember you can donate unopened cans of paint to schools, community, religious, and theater groups or even a neighbor. Also, if you take the time to clean the can, it can be recycled or reused.


The second most popular item collected at the facility is electronics. They will accept all computers (PCs and laptops), monitors, ink cartridges, printers (small desktop & combo/fax), scanners, servers, audio/visual equipment, telephones/cell phones, typewriters, calculators, circuit boards, and misc. electrical equipment. (They cannot accept microwaves or TVs.) The electronic equipment is picked up by local company 5R Processors, who recycles it. (You can also drop off electronics, including TVs, at 5R’s warehouse at 3274 Democrat Road.)

I was specifically interested in properly disposing of CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs), since they will soon be the norm. Currently Williams says they get a lot of fluorescent tubes, but not many light bulbs. Once incandescent light bulbs are obsolete, this is sure to change. If the facility begins collecting a lot of CFLs then they may be able to find a vendor who recycles them. In the meantime, they can safely store them and keep the mercury out of our landfills.


For a full listing of acceptable drop-off items, visit the Household Hazardous Waste Facility website. Set aside items at home and on your next visit to Shelby Farms, drop them off!

It's Easy To Be Green, Week 1

Don't listen to Kermit! Several MLGW employees signed up to participate in Lichterman Nature Center’s It’s Easy To Be Green program that offers practical steps for making a positive impact on the environment in one’s daily life. Everyone who signed up received a workbook with weekly action items to try at home. After twelve weeks of adopting green behaviors, participants will celebrate at Lichterman’s EarthFest 2008 festival on April 19th.

I’ll be posting the weekly action items here for those of you who want to follow along. I will also be doing some special investigating that I will share here as well.

The first week focuses on your automobile. Americans buy 140 billion gallons of gasoline for their vehicles every year. Reducing gasoline usage is good for the planet and saves you money. If you cannot trade in that old gas guzzler for a more fuel-efficient vehicle, here are some actions you can take.

Action Items

• Maintain your vehicle. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for changing the engine oil, air filter, and spark plugs on a regular basis. A vehicle that is maintained properly operates more efficiently. It burns less gas and emits fewer pollutants.

• Slow down. Your vehicle uses less gas at 50mph than at 70 mph. Greater speed means greater air resistance. In turn, the engine uses more fuel because it has to work harder to maintain the vehicle’s speed.

• Use cruise control. Maintaining a steady speed saves gas. Avoid those jackrabbit starts and screeching stops.

• Avoid long engine warm-ups. Today’s vehicles don’t need them.

• Shut off the engine if you are idling for more than three minutes.

• Properly inflate tires. They will last longer and save you money on gas.

• Consolidate your errands. Before you hit the road, organize a “to-do” list. Plan routes that will shorten your travel time and use less gas.

• Lighten up! Empty the trunk and backseat. Every 100 pounds of weight decreases fuel efficiency by 1%. Every pound counts.

• Consider how you can drive less by doing things such as combining trips, biking or walking, joining a car pool, or using mass transit.

• If you change your vehicle’s oil, properly dispose of the waste oil and other fluids at designated drop-off locations, such as the Memphis and Shelby County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility.

In the United States, vehicles are responsible for 25% of the greenhouse gases produced. Cars and other vehicles are a major source of pollutants that create smog and acid rain as well as release other harmful substances.