Bag them up!

RecycleSmart residents have the easiest battery recycling around—just bag them up and put them on top of your recycling cart. It’s that easy!

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We can accept all kinds of batteries—AA, 9-volt, and those little “button” ones from your watches and hearing aids. Single use and rechargeable batteries can all be bagged up together for pickup. After you send them to the curb, consider replacing tired batteries with rechargeable versions to reduce waste in the future.

If you live in a single-family home, recycle household batteries in a sealed, see-through plastic bag on top of the blue recycling cart on your service day.

Lithium batteries need to be bagged separately. If you are bagging Lithium or Lithium- ion batteries (look for the word “lithium” or abbreviation “Li” on the battery), please put a small piece of clear tape over the positive (+) terminal. That’s an extra safety precaution that keeps batteries from shorting out, and keeps workers and facilities safe. Even “non-working” batteries contain enough energy to potentially start a fire or explode at the recycling facility.

Did you know? All discarded batteries are considered hazardous waste! They contain heavy metals and toxic or corrosive materials. Proper recycling protects the environment and reclaims those metals for another use.

You can also find a whole list of drop-off locations at RecycleSmart.org/HHW. When you bag up your batteries, you put positive energy in your world!

Schools stepping it up!

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Schools throughout our service area are picking up the pace with composting and recycling! From 2018-19, 66% of all waste was recycled and composted thanks to all of the standout school recycling programs.

Shout out to Walnut Creek School District for banning Styrofoam trays, Buena Vista Elementary (shown above) for using compostable wooden sporks, and all the Green Teams working hard out there!

Eighteen schools have already received Wastebuster Awards for reaching (and going above!) our community-wide goal of recycling and composting 75% of all school waste.

Three ways to support your school’s recycling and composting program:

1

Start by reducing the amount of waste in your school lunches. Bring your own resusable containers, utensils, and water bottles to cut down on plastic bags and other single-use plastics.

2

When you’re done with lunch, leftover food can go into the compost bin. Then pack up reusable containers and utensils for home!

3

Students can get involved with their school’s green team. If your school doesn’t have one, you can find a teacher sponsor and start one!

To learn more about RecycleSmart school programs visit: RecycleSmart.org/schools.

How it works

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timeline of the recycling of batteries
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RECYCLEWHERE?

Looking for a place to drop off empty printer ink cartridges, used clothes or pots and pans? Visit RecycleSmart.org and click on the “RecycleWhere?” button for friendly neighborhood recycling!

Holy macaroni, Lafayette!

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You’re recycling 69% of your waste! Lafayette, home of 26,521 rockin’ residents, six champion recycling and composting schools, and fifty-three boss businesses* that participate in the Food Recycling Program turning food waste into electricity, has reduced its landfill waste by almost three-quarters!

From wilted flowers to kitchen waste, reclaiming these materials is making a difference in our community.

Folks in Lafayette are rejecting single-use plastics and making sure their La Croix cans are empty and dry before delivering them to the curb. Thanks for choosing to reduce, reuse, and send your compost and clean recyclables to our Recycling Facility. It’s a vision to behold.

*You’ll find referrals from Amarin Thai to Tutu’s Food & Drink and all the letters in between at RecycleSmart.org/restaurants

Sorting companion

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Here’s a guide to place by your trash and recycling area at home! And if you’ve got another tricky question, email us at Authority@RecycleSmart.org


Click the image above to print out at full size.

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Do you have any tips you’d like to share?

Send your ideas to Authority@RecycleSmart.org

KIDS CORNER

What’s in your
backpack?

connect the dots game for kids

Click the image above to print out at full size.

Connect the dots to help clean out these three items from your backpack! For each one, start at the star and follow the numbers or letters to reveal each item. Which one goes in the trash? Which one goes in the compost? And which one can you take home and reuse?

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