Why it's so important to dry out your paint before disposal

The best thing to do with leftover or no-longer-needed paint is to put it to use. If you can't use it yourself, give it to someone else.

If that's not possible, dispose of latex (water-based) paint in your regular household trash. We've got how-to instructions on our website.

Making sure that the paint is completely solidified before you set it out for trash collection is critical. Paint spills are very challenging to clean up.

(Reminder: it's only oil-based paint which must be disposed of as household hazardous waste. If the oil-based paint is from your business, consider our Ecowise program for small-quantity generators.)

Categories: Trash_

Newsletter Helper: Book recycling

Now you may simply recycle your hardback books by tossing them into your curbside paper recycling collection. Read more in the July 2006 Newsletter Helper!

Categories: Newsletter Helper_, Recycling_

Reuse for no-longer-needed medications

Have unused or no-longer-needed prescription medications? There are a number of organizations which collect these items for medicine recycling (also called drug recycling).

Here are two organizations which accept medications used for managing HIV. AND –- they also take drugs used to treat secondary conditions, such as antibiotics, antifungals, anti-emetics, and more.

• www.aidforaids.org/donate_faqs.php
• www.thestarfishproject.org/donate.cfm

Know of any local medicine recycling programs? I'd be happy to add them to our resource list.

Addition: just found this one: www.madre.org/programs/ha/medicalproject_wish.html

Categories: Recycling_