Here are some suggestions on being a good recycler in Lake County and ways to find places that might need what you don’t want, from Peter Adrian, recycling coordinator for SWALCO, and Edith Seig, an avid recycler.
*Check your town’s website for information on what can and cannot be placed into waste hauler recycling bins.
*Visit www.swalco.org to get information on special collection days for hazardous waste,, electronics and more. Plus find lists of where to recycle shoes, textiles, unused medications and other items.
*Contact nonprofit organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity, which accepts furniture and building materials. Visit www.habitatlc.org.
*Donate unwanted items to Goodwill or local resale shops.
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*Contact local shops that sell batteries, electronics, used books and other items to see if they’ll accept recyclables.
*Check local townships to see if they’re accepting items for people in need.
*Call local grade schools or high schools about recycling crayons colored pencils, computers, textbooks and other items your children no longer use.
*Research groups on the sides of containers before giving them reusable items.
*Freecycle.org has groups throughout the U.S., where people list items they are giving away. Sheryl DeVore is a freelancer for the News-Sun