Use your recycling bin
Get in the habit of filling your Little Blue recycling bin every week. Once you start,
you’ll be surprised how many household items can be recycled.
The City accepts plastics type 1 through 7 (you can find the number on the bottom of the container),
paper and newspaper, aluminum cans, tin cans and glass bottles and jars.
Even the tin that covers a Hershey Kiss is recyclable.
Skip the bottled water
Oklahoma City residents enjoy some of the best tasting water in the nation, so skip bottled water
and drink tap water instead. One gallon of Oklahoma City’s tap water
costs less than a penny while bottled water can cost more than $2 per bottle.
Besides, it takes most water bottles over 700 years to decompose in a landfill.
Bring old chemicals to the Household Hazardous Waste Facility
The City’s Household Hazardous Waste Facility, 1621 N Portland, helps Oklahoma City residents
keep harmful products and chemicals out of our landfills by offering free household hazardous
waste disposal. We accept a vast list of chemicals, including used motor oil, paint and
solvents, batteries, cleaning products, pool chemicals, gasoline, degreasers and
fertilizers. You can also save money by visiting the Facility’s Swap Shop, where you
can exchange your chemicals for a product you need. Some non-residents (link???) can participate, too.
Mulch
Ever think about mulching instead of bagging your lawn clippings and tree leaves?
You’ll spend less time on yard work, save money on lawn supplies and send fewer
trash bags to the landfill. Plus, your lawn will love it! Tree leaves are like
gold for your landscape. Mulching returns nutrients from leaves and clippings to
the soil where they belong – not in a landfill.
Start a compost pile
Compost is one of nature’s best mulches. Almost any organic material can be composted
including leaves, grass clippings, deadheaded flowers, fruits, coffee grounds,
vegetables, straw and ashes from wood. The best thing about composting is
that you can brew the best fertilizer in town. Learn how to compost.
Say no to Styrofoam
Styrofoam and expanded polystyrene (EPS) are used everyday by just about everyone
in some shape or form. Unfortunately, products made from these materials are
neither compostable nor recyclable. Consider purchasing paper products in lieu of Styrofoam.
Carry reusable shopping bags
A typical plastic film bag takes hundreds of years to decompose. Can you imagine how
many are taking up space in the City’s landfills? Unfortunately, these pesky
items are hard to recycle and can’t be recycled through the City’s Curbside Recycling
Program. Fortunately, many grocery stores and big box retailers provide recycling
containers for used bags. You might also consider reusing your plastic film bags
or purchasing reusable shopping bags.
Donate clothes, furniture and odds and ends to charity
According to the City’s Solid Waste Division, about 11 percent of residential trash
is clothing that could be reused. Instead of trashing worn or
out-of-fashion clothes, donate them to a church, charity or thrift shop.
E-cycle your computers, monitors and keyboards responsibly
Did you know that old computer monitors could contain up to seven pounds of the pollutant
lead? Other computer parts are made with precious metals that can be recycled
and diverted from our landfills. If you are an Oklahoma City resident just
load your items in your trunk, drive through the Household Hazardous Waste
Facility and we will handle the rest.
Buy products with minimal packaging
Packaging materials account for a significant amount of the trash we generate.
Consider buying items in bulk or those with minimal packaging.
Choose products made from recycled materials
In order to make recycling economically feasible, buy recycled products
and packaging made from post-consumer waste whenever possible.
When recycled products are purchased we create an economic incentive for
recyclable materials to be manufactured as new products.
Keep your Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFL) out of the trash
While CFLs are significantly more energy efficient than standard light bulbs, they contain
mercury and present an environmental risk. The good news is that
Household Hazardous Waste Facility can take your CFLs and dispose of them properly.
Invite our household hazardous waste trailer to your neighborhood
Do you and your neighbors or civic group have old fertilizer, batteries,
pool chemicals and broken down computer equipment that need to be properly
disposed of? If so, schedule a visit from the City’s household hazardous
waste trailer – we will come to you. It’s a fast,
convenient and free way to unload your household hazardous waste.
For information call (405) 682-7038.