Take Care Of Our Earth - How To Properly Dispose Of Things

The start of a new year is a good time to start planning and making changes to better yourself and the world we live in. What better time to focus on the task of taking care of our Earth and set some new Earth helping, household habits. It takes each one of us doing our part at home and at work to protect and sustain life on Earth. So how can we help? What can we do to make a difference and give back to the Earth? This blog will discuss how to properly dispose of a few household items.

* Please note that we use Ontario, Canada as an example for the recycling programs that we suggest, however you can easily search about the recycling programs that are available where you live, or simply glean from the tips we offer about reusing products in this blog.

Batteries

Let's start off with learning about batteries as they are a product almost everyone uses for something around the house or outside. Batteries are not something we can reuse or pass on to a friend so let's find out how effective scientists have got at recycling almost every portion of commonly used, alkaline batteries. There are recoverable resources hidden inside every alkaline battery regardless of what type it is. Typically about a quarter of most alkaline batteries are made up of steel and there is a mechanical process that can recover all of the steel used in each battery so it can be reused again. Over half of these batteries are made up of recyclable Earth elements such as zinc, manganese and potassium that can be recovered and reused as a micro-nutrient in the production of fertilizer for growing corn. The last smaller portion is made of paper and plastic which is also recyclable. These materials can be sent to an energy-from-waste facility to create electricity. Instead of throwing your batteries directly into your household garbage, where they end up at the landfill, you can take them to a store that recycles them. In Ontario there are several stores across the province that you can recycle any of your batteries at. Check out Raw Materials Company Inc., to locate where you can easily find a local drop off location nearest to you.

I the USA you can drop off rechargeable batteries at Home Depot or Best Buy, among other locations. However this does not apply for single use alkaline batteries. There are programs such as The Big Green Box where you can mail in your used batteries for a fee. Definitely a good investment to help lessen your footprint. To order your Green Box click here.

Paint & Stain

Another product that most people end up using in some form or another is paint or stain. How do you properly and safely dispose of unused paint? The best way is to recycle paint or reuse it. You could reapply some paint to an area that could use it, dontate leftover paint to a friend or local community group or mix it with another leftover paint to use as a primer for another project. Don't forget to save some for future touch ups. However if the paint you are wanting to get rid of is too old or you no longer can find a use for it, then you may choose to use a recycling program. In Ontario there is a PaintRecycle program which accepts most types of household paint as there are nearly 300 sites where it can be recycled. These places allow you to return your old or leftover paint, varnish, shellac and stains, free of charge, at either a municipal outlet or a retail location. If you are living in Ontario please try the locator tool on the PaintRecycle program's regeneration website. Another method is to dry out the paint (latex not oil based) using the method on this website. Many building material restores, like the Habitat for Humanity, will accept leftover cans of paint, both latex and oil based. Some require the cans to be un-opened while others accept half gallons of opened paint that is clearly labeled. Contact your area restore to determine what they accept.

Cleaning Products

Commonly used, household cleaning products are another thing can be properly disposed of to take better care of our Earth. To properly dispose of household cleaning products simply read the instructions or ingredients on the label. For example, if the product mixes with water then it is water soluble and can be rinsed down the drain. Most solid cleaning products, such as sticks and pads, can be thrown in the trash once you are done with them. You can always check with your local waste disposal facility or call the product's toll free number to check for disposal recommendations.

PSF's

Not as common as the other items we've listed so far in this blog are leftover household flammable liquids or any PSF products not in use. Leftover PSF products in Ontario are any Pesticides, Solvents and Fertilizers (PSF) that need to be recycled and can be done through a similar program to the leftover paint program. This program accepts leftover household quantities of PSF products through a number of recycling depots and can be done through Ontario's regeneration website. However before recycling, keep in mind that you can use it, share it or store it. Don't be afraid to share what you have, or store it so the product can be used again in a future season or for a different project. There are many local programs, if you do a google search for "dispose of pesticides in (my area)" you will get information. For example in Michigan USA there is a program called Clean Sweap which accepts your unused or expired pesticide products.

We hope you have learned a little bit about how to properly dispose of things so you can help take better care of our Earth. We look forward to continuing to keep our readers informed by offering information about Earthing, as well as future blogs about taking care of Earth. At The Earthing Store we care about you receiving the many benefits of Earthing so check out one of our many product pages, today. We have fast shipping, superior products and helpful customer care.

Raw Materials Company Inc. link: https://www.rawmaterials.com/page/locations/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoaWcyYHn1wIVl7XACh2uZQWXEAAYASAAEgI5GfD_BwE

PaintRecycle program from Regeneration website link: https://www.regeneration.ca/programs/paint/ontario/

Recycling PSF products link: https://www.regeneration.ca/programs/pesticides-flammable-liquids/ontario-pesticides-solvents-and-fertilizers/