(EDITOR'S NOTE: Confused about what you can and can’t recycle, not to mention the “where” and “how”? Let Covington’s Solid Waste & Recycling team break it down for you.)
COVINGTON, Ky. – Everybody knows you can recycle that empty 6-pack of Ale-8-One or PBR. But what about aluminum foil, wire coat hangers, spray deodorant cans, and other metal objects?
Glad you asked. Here’s a cheat sheet on metals:
- Aerosol cans They need to be empty and have contained non-hazardous and non-flammable materials. Examples are hair spray, shaving cream and food spray. Throw away the plastic lid, however.
- Pop cans (beer and sodas): Empty first, then crush the can.
- Canned food: Give it a quick rinse, place lid inside can.
- Cat food cans: Give it a quick rinse, place lid inside can.
- Metal lids: Throw loose in recycling cart. Includes the lids and rings to glass canning jars.
- Metal seasoning/spice containers (such as McCormick brand): But remove plastic lid and throw it away.
- Metal coffee cans: But remove plastic lid and throw it away.
- Metal single-use aluminum cups: Such as Ball aluminum cups.
- Cookie tins: (Christmas tins like Royal Dansk Danish butter cookies).
- Aluminum foil, pie tins, aluminum casserole pans: These melt differently than the aluminum beverage cans during end-user processing and there is food contamination.
- Metal pots and pans, utensils or muffin tins: Instead, take them to a second-hand store
- Medical sharps (i.e. needles and razor blades etc.): Check out www.earth911.com for information about recycling and disposal.
- Propane tanks/bottles: Check out www.bluerhino.com for information about recycling and disposal.
- Batteries: Take to local community hazardous waste event.
- Scrap, or metal coat hangers: Take to local scrap metal facility.
- Paper clips: Considered scrap metal.
NOTE: As always, the first step in keeping material out of the landfill is to rethink your consumption and purchases on the front end. Consider the five Rs: “Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.”
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