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Many folks think of recycling only in terms of the traditional stuff we throw in our blue bin every week or two.
But what about those durable items that we generate only once in a great while? They are often heavy or bulky (appliances and furniture). Many have hazardous materials (televisions and computers). Others need to be handled in a special way because of how they behave in a landfill (tires).
Keep Blair Beautiful and the IRC Recycling office will be hosting a special waste collection for many of those sorts of wastes on April 28 at PNG Field, the home of the Altoona Curve.
Drop-off begins at 8 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m. (This is not our annual hazardous waste collection. That is tentatively scheduled for July 13 and 14.)
Electronics -- The upcoming collection will include almost all electronics and appliances. Televisions, computers, computer peripherals and non-Freon containing appliances are all free.
Remember, it's now illegal to dispose of these in the regular trash since they have several toxic metals, as well as precious metals that should never be incinerated or buried in a landfill. Non-computer electronics (like telephones, toasters, DVD and VHS players and small sound systems) are $1 to $2, depending on size, since many parts of them cannot be recycled.
Appliances -- Air conditioners and dehumidifiers are $7, and refrigerators and freezers are $10. It's expensive to remove refrigerant chemicals that can deplete protective ozone from the upper atmosphere.
Large stereos and sound systems are $10 per unit. Stereos are more costly because not much of them can be recycled, and most must be landfilled.
Tires -- The Blair County Mosquito Borne Disease Control Program received grant funding to help pay for tire recovery and tires start at $1 per tire for 14-inch or smaller tires. Larger tires and those on rims are more expensive. If you have large numbers of tires, you must call the recycling office at (814) 942-7472 to make arrangements. Remember that tires gather water and are the most common places for disease carrying mosquitoes to breed.
Cell Phones -- Many of us have old cell phones laying around, and they'll be accepted, too. Drop-offs for phones and small batteries for electronics can be dropped off at IRC municipal offices and many retailers on a regular basis.
Flags -- The VFW and American Legion is sponsoring a collection for old flags, which will properly retired at a later ceremony.
Eye Glasses -- The Lakemont Lions Club (that is also very helpful in providing volunteer assistance at the collection) will be accepting eye glasses for their Lions Recycle for Sight program.
Boxes, Bags, Books and Batteries -- We like alliteration, so we also accept the four Bees. We like rhymes, too, so the all the bees are also free.
We'll accept all sorts of boxes (both corrugated and paperboard), bags (both paper and plastic), books (both paperback and hardback) and recyclable batteries (smaller rechargeables and bigger lead acid).
Rechargeable batteries have toxic lead, nickel and cadmium, but regular non-rechargeable batteries can now be safely thrown in the trash. The use of mercury in regular AAA, AA, C and D batteries was outlawed in the '90s.
Visit www.ircenvironment. org, call (814) 942-7472, or e-mail John Frederick at jfrederick@ircenvironment.org for more details.