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Matress recycling Darien Recycling Center 8-26-16

More than 23 Tons of Mattresses Recycled in Darien (at $100 a Ton)

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Beginning in July 2015 residents have been able to recycle unwanted mattresses at the Darien Recycling Center rather than toss them in with solid waste.  

A quick recycling tip from the Darien Recycling Center:

As of the end of the fiscal year on June 30th, MORE THAN 23 TONS of mattresses have been collected, saving the town more than $2,300 in disposal costs. Discarded mattresses are deconstructed and their components (steel springs, foam, wood and fabrics/fibers) reused in other products. Recycling mattresses saves natural resources AND tax dollars! — This announcement comes from the Darien Recycling Center pages on Facebook.

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Textiles recycling Darien Recycling Center 8-27-16

Recycle Clothing and Textiles, Including Old Backpacks and Shoes

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Not sure what to do with those old backpacks, clothes and shoes that the kids have worn out or outgrown? Here’s a quick recycling tip from the Darien Recycling Center:

Last year 26 tons of textiles were collected in the USAGAIN bins at the Darien Recycling Center — look for them next to the Swap Shop and by the transfer station building. — This announcement comes from the Darien Recycling Center pages on Facebook. Like that page on Facebook and you can get your tips directly, as soon as they come out, and keep informed on other recycling information. This isn’t the first recycling tip about textiles from Darien Recycling Center.

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With Paint Now Recycled at Dump, Household Hazardous Waste Day Volume, Cost Way Down

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Last Saturday’s Household Hazardous Waste Day dropoff event at the Noroton Heights Railroad Station parking lot had much lower participation and volume than in previous years — but apparently that’s because paint is now collected regularly at the town transfer station/recycling center. This year, Darien will only pay $3,832.50 to a contractor that accepts the waste collected on Household Hazardous Waste Day. That compares with $19,750 last year, according to a memorandum from Assistant Darien Public Works Director Darren Oustafine. A total of 269 households (142 of them from Darien, or 48.2 percent) participated in the Household Hazardous Waste Day dropoff. Last year there were 1,001 households participating, and 74.5 percent were from Darien.

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Household Hazardous Picture

Darien Household Hazardous Waste Day Is Saturday — Here’s What to Take

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Your mercury thermometer is among the things to save for Darien’s Household Hazardous Waste Day, which takes place this Saturday, June 4. You can trade in your mercury thermometer for a brand new digital thermometer that day (while supplies last), according to the announcement posted by the Department of Public Works. Here’s a sampling of what else you should be saving for the pickup, which takes place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the south parking lot of Noroton Heights Railroad Station (normally pretty empty on a weekend anyway):

Toilet bowl and drain cleaners, oven cleaners, rug and upholstery cleaners, furniture, floor and metal polishes, paint strippers, lighter fluid, poisons, insecticides, rubber cement, airplane glue. These are some of the items you can take to the Darien Transfer Station/Darien Recycling Center whenever it’s open — they’ve been collecting more and more things that can be recycled and will not be accepting these at the household hazardous waste drop-off:

Tires, dry cell (flashlight) batteries, motor oil, unbroken fluorescent lights, electronics and rechargable batteries. Paint is another item not being collected this year — it’s another product that can be dropped off at the Darien Transfer Station/Darien Recycling Center.

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Recycling Tips Textiles 4-23-16

How Putting Textiles in the Recycling Bins Saves Darien Money

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A Quick Recycling Tip:

RECYCLING TEXTILES SAVES TAXPAYERS MONEY — two ways:

1) the town is paid $100/ton of textiles collected, and

2) solid waste costs are reduced. Collection bins are located next to the Swap Shop and to the left of the Transfer Station Building. New signage reminds residents which textiles are accepted for recycling. — This announcement comes from the Darien Recycling Center pages on Facebook. Like that page on Facebook and you can get your tips directly, as soon as they come out, and keep informed on other recycling information.

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Darien Recycling Center 3-25-16

Don’t Rent Trailers to Drop Something Off at the Dump

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Another Quick Recycling Tip in our series:

ON TRAILERS… Let’s say that you have a load of yard waste that you need to haul to the Recycling Center that exceeds the cargo capacity of your vehicle – can you use a trailer to get it there? The answer is: yes and no! Non-commercial trailers, like the one in this photo, are fine. However, commercial trailers – such as those from a rental company, are not allowed.

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recycling two 3-12-16

Recycling Tip: Only LIGHTLY Soiled Material Should Be Recycled

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Another Quick Recycling Tip in our series:

SINGLE STREAM 101

Single stream allows residents to recycle several types of materials in the same bin: paper, cardboard, plastic, glass & metal. Recyclables must be LOOSE, EMPTY and NO MORE THAN LIGHTLY SOILED. Unfortunately this peanut butter container will most likely be pulled out at the sorting facility and thrown away. To ensure that your recyclables are actually recycled, please take the simple steps outlined above. Thank you!

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recycling 3-12-16

Recycling Tip: Reuse Those Clear Plastic Food Containers

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Another Quick Recycling Tip in our series:

The clear plastic containers that strawberries, salad greens, baked goods and a variety of other items come packaged in are easily recycled with single stream. However, some of them are quite sturdy and are perfect for storing decorations or other things that you don’t want squished. ‪#‎ReduceReuseRecycle‬

— This announcement comes from the Darien Recycling Center pages on Facebook. Like that page on Facebook and you can get your tips directly, as soon as they come out, and keep informed on other recycling information.

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Recycling Center pot 3-12-16

Recycling Food Waste: Will Darien Someday Do It? Ridgefield Does

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This interesting post on Facebook from the Darien Recycling Center mentions that Ridgefield recycles food waste and asks if Darien ever will:

Is recycling food waste in Darien’s future? Programs recently began in both Ridgefield and Newtown where residents can take all food scraps to a drop-off — it is then transported to a composting facility in Danbury. More food reaches landfills and incinerators than any other single material in municipal solid waste nationwide! To learn more about Ridgefield’s program, click here [for an online flyer about the town program, or just scroll down — we’ve published it below — editor]

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Here’s more information from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection:

Commercial and residential food scrap recycling pilot projects
Another Web page on composting organic waste

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No Dumping

Recycling Center Warns: Protect LI Sound, Don’t Dump Into Street Sewers

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Another Quick Recycling Tip in our series:

These medallions found on storm drains throughout town are a reminder that anything put down the drain goes directly into Long Island Sound — without first passing through a treatment plant. Hard as it is to believe, these drains have been used for hard-to-dispose of materials such as paint. Thanks to a partnership with PaintCare, the Darien Recycling Center now has a permanent drop-off where residents can recycle paint and paint products anytime. Other unwanted household chemicals should be saved for Darien’s Household Hazardous Waste Day — the first Saturday in June. Let’s save the storm drains for storm water!

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Darien Recycling Center 3-12-16

Recycling Tip: Cleaning Out Your Closets

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Another Quick Recycling Tip in our series:

If the urge to spring clean extends to your closets and drawers, but all you care to part with are worn-out shoes, stained t-shirts and tired linens, not to worry! Those things — and more — can be recycled in the green & white USAGAIN BINS at the Darien Recycling Center. Pack your things in plastic bags and look for them next to the Swap Shop and also next to the transfer station building. Recycle any usable or unusable clothing, shoes, linens or accessories! — This announcement comes from the Darien Recycling Center pages on Facebook.

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Darien Recycling Center photo 3-11-16

Recycling Tip: What To Do With Used Bubble Wrap & Other Packing Materials

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Another Quick Recycling Tip in our series:

Bubble wrap is permitted in single stream recycling; however, it — and most other packing materials — can be reused again and again before it has reached the end of its useful life. If you have no need for these materials, please donate them to someone who does! UPS will take packing peanuts and the DCA Thrift Store will take bubble wrap, packing papers, foam sheets (also tissue paper and shopping bags). Remember: it’s REDUCE, REUSE, RECYLE – and in that order! — This announcement comes from the Darien Recycling Center pages on Facebook.

Government & Politics
Seattle Household Hazardous Waste Collection Site

Area Household Hazardous Waste Days for Darien Residents

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If you can’t wait for Darien’s scheduled household hazardous waste pickup event on June 4 or need to go before or afterward, here’s a list of surrounding communities that will accept hazardous waste from Darien residents. The Darien Department of Public Works just published the list of Household Hazardous Waste Days for communities from Greenwich to Weston, Wilton and Westport, all of which have co-operative agreements with Darien to accept our residents’ hazardous waste. Here’s more information on Darien’s own pickup event. Here’s the schedule of nearby pickups:

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Recycling Tip: What to Do with Downed Branches

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Another Quick Recycling Tip in our series:

This year’s winter has been milder than last year’s (so far!), but wet, heavy, snow still takes a toll on trees and other landscaping. Downed branches like these can be recycled at our facility along with other yard waste. Not sure where to take them? Click here. — This announcement comes from the Darien Recycling Center pages on Facebook.