El Paso County has expanded the items it accepts for recycling hazardous household waste at their facility at 3255 Akers Drive.
There's a covered drive-thru drop off point, so it's quick and convenient. You can now recycle or dispose of:
Aerosol Cans
Ammunition
Antifreeze
Batteries - Lead-Acid, Alkaline and Rechargeable
Electronics
Fire Extinguishers
Fuels - high BTU liquids, sludges and solids
Lawn and Garden Chemicals, including pesticides and rodent poisons
Household Products - lots of stuff that shouldn't go down the drain Motor Oil and Oil Filters
Medications Liquids and Pills are accepted. Black out or remove personal information. Place loose pills in clear, seal-able bag; leave liquids in their bottle, and also place in a seal-able clear baggie.
Mercury - fluorescent lights, (including CFL's) thermometers, thermostats and light switches
Paints and stains
Propane Tanks
Items NOT accepted:
Abestos
Business Waste
Tires
Other materials deemed unacceptable by the staff
Facility hours are Monday through Thursdays 7am to 5pm.
Some new and usable products are available free through the "Drop and Swap" program. And, you can exchange your mercury thermometer for a new digital one - one per household!
Dispose of your yard waste every Saturday from 8am to 4 pm at Rocky Top Resources, at 1755 E. Las Vegas St. (579-9103, south of downtown) or find out more about the Black Forest Slash and Mulch program and schedule.
Services are free to residents of El Paso and Teller counties; you're encouraged to bring non-perishable foods to donate to Care and Share. Call 520-7878 for more information, or visit www.elpaso.com and search "solid waste managment." (If you forget the address, it's better to go to the county site, as Google still has the address for the old facility in some of its links.)
You can also pick up a comprehensive recycling directory when you visit the facility, which includes a list of other businesses that recycle materials. This is an excellent resource, and it's very interesting to find out how the particular items are re-used or recycled.
Take advantage of this excellent county service!
Ken and Sandy Wickham are long-time Realtors in beautiful Colorado Springs, CO. To contact them, call 719-534-7919 or visit their website. They welcome your real estate inquiries.
I've always preached recycling but haven't always walked my talk. Recently I cancelled my trash service and decided to walk the walk. I'm surprise at how much I can recycle and how much I stopped buying. If you don't buy the stuff you don't have to dispose of it!
Deena,
You're so right! So many of us are suffering from "stuff" overload. We love the county's swap option. Thanks for not shrieking about the formatting of this post - looked great in Localism, but pretty scary here. Any pointers?