Darien Reycycling Center
Image from Darien Recycling Center on Facebook o3-18-17

Saturday Recycling Tips: What You Can Do with Bags

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You can recycle bags, and do that at the Darien Recycling Center, but for many bags there are even better options that the recycling center hopes you’ll choose. Here are two tips about bags from the Darien Recycling Center:

#1 — Avoid disposable bags

Single use plastic & paper bags are recyclable, but let’s face it: a lot of resources go into making, transporting & recycling them. 100 billion (yes — BILLION) plastic bags are consumed annually in the U.S., and many end up littering our landscapes, highways and waterways. A variety of reusable bags are available — most are inexpensive, durable and can be cleaned. Find ones you like and make a habit of using them!

Darien Reycycling Center
Darien Recycling Center smoke detectors 01-23-17

Now You Can Recycle Smoke Detectors at Darien Recycling Center

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Smoke detectors can now be recycled at the Darien Recycling Center! Why recycle them? Most older (ionization) smoke detectors contain a tiny amount of radioactive material, which is sealed inside the device and poses no hazard to users, but should not be thrown in the trash or put in with single stream recycling.  

[Editor’s note: Back on Jan. 24, Darienite.com reported that smoke-detector recycling was coming.

Darien Reycycling Center
Pens Markers Darien Recycling Center 03-02-17

Saturday Recycling Tip: What To Do With Working Pens, Markers You Don’t Want

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“Have a bunch of working markers, pens or pencils hanging around that you no longer need or want?” Here’s what you can do with them:

Darien Recycling Center recommends that you stick them in a ziplock bag and drop them off at the Swap Shop. Now in its seventh year, the Swap Shop is more popular than ever, as evidenced by its overcrowded parking area on a recent Saturday afternoon. Coming this spring: a new, more permanent, structure for the Swap Shop! _______________

— an announcement (and a second announcement) from the Darien Recycling Center 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 Sign 02-24-17

Saturday Recycling Tip: What Do You Do With Large Plastic Items Too Big for Single Stream?

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Plastics that are too large for single stream can be

recycled at this drop-off at the Darien Recycling Center! _______________

— an announcement from the Darien Recycling Center 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. Find out more about recycling in Darien here. Other recent recycling tips:

Recycling used paper towels? On recycling usable and unusable clothing, shoes, linens and accessories like purses and backpacks.

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Darien Recycling Single Stream Recycling 02-18-17

Saturday Recycling Tip: What to Do with Used Paper Towels

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Paper toweling seems like it should go in single stream (It’s paper, after all!) … 

… but it does not. Paper towels, napkins, tissues and diapers are among the items considered “contaminated” and should go in the trash. For a complete list of items not included in single stream, click here [to the Recyclng Center’s tip sheet for what to recycle and what not to recycle in Darien] and scroll to the top of page 2 [or see below]. _______________

— an announcement from the Darien Recycling Center 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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USAgain clothing bins recycling 02-11-17

Saturday Recycling Tip For Those Going to the Dump (and Even for Those Who Aren’t)

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When the USAgain bins near the Swap Shop and transfer station building fill up, the contents are removed to a truck like this one. Usable or unusable clothing, shoes, linens & accessories (backpacks, purses, hats, gloves, belts, etc.) can be recycled in these bins. Recycling textiles provides two benefits to the town:

1) a reduction in the amount (and cost) of solid waste hauled way;

2) payment of $200/ton for textiles collected. Recycling textiles also saves natural resources and is a source of affordable clothing for people world-wide. _______________

— an announcement from the Darien Recycling Center on Facebook (we’ve changed the punctuation). 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.

Darien Reycycling Center
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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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.

Darien Reycycling Center
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.

Darien Reycycling Center
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!