Talking Trash

Unless you have been away on an extended vacation or are avoiding all news, you know that recycling faces contamination challenges. In most communities, items you place into your recycling bin get mixed with everyone else’s and then sent to a large plant called a...

Timely disposal of prescription medicines can reduce the risk of them being taken accidentally or misused intentionally. The best and most environmentally friendly way to dispose of your prescription medicines is through a proper drug disposal program. Fortunately,...

Do your fall plans include some purging to “tidy up” around the house? If so, be aware that major thrift stores and charitable organizations often receive far more used items than they can sell or give away. Sometimes, your “donations” may just be taking a detour to...

Bipartisan legislators introduced a bill in the House and the Senate to address U.S. food waste. The New Opportunities for Technological Innovation, Mitigation, and Education to Overcome Waste is more easily known as the "NO TIME to Waste Act." The bill,...

We may think we are done recycling when we toss something into a recycling bin. But we aren’t! Recycling is all about giving things a second chance. When we recycle, our old bottles become new bottles or fleece blankets. Old glass jars become new jars or insulation...

Remove and donate — don’t demolish and trash your home renovation materials. Home improvement is an exciting but messy business whether you are a do-it-yourselfer or work with a professional. Once the job starts, the disarray, dust, and debris can seem to seep into...

You read that correctly. It's not "retweet," but "RETREET"! This summer, it seems there is a wildfire, hurricane, tornado, flood, earthquake, or other natural disaster in the news almost daily. You aren't imagining an uptick. The United Nations issued a report in...

Discarding trash or other unwanted items in empty lots, along highways, or in other unapproved locations is considered illegal dumping, and it is against the law. Commonly dumped items include furniture, appliances, tires, construction waste, household trash, and...

After the carts are wheeled to the curb and picked up each week, the rest of solid waste management happens out of the public eye. That's why we are mostly unaware of the many times our local solid waste professionals come to the rescue. It could be managing...