Cell Phones, Recycling & Reuse

The Federal Communications Commission has mandated Local Number Portability that permits consumers, for the first time, to roll their home telephone numbers over to their cell phones, or, switch from one cell phone service provider to another and maintain their phone numbers. As the majority of cell phones in the marketplace are not compatible across networks, the FCC ruling will create an unprecedented amount of - potentially toxic - used cell phones for recycling as 30-40 million Americans are expected to migrate to new service providers.

If you're interested in a better future for your old cell phone, you may want to consider these collection programs: www.recyclewirelessphones.com, www.collectivegood.com, and www.charitablerecycling.com.

Cell phones and other Obsolete Electronics may be disposed of through our the program organized by the Solid Waste District.

Eyeglasses, Reuse & Recycling

Lions, Leos, and other volunteers collect used eyeglasses for donation to Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centers that are located throughout the world. The used eyeglasses are cleaned, repaired and classified by prescription. The eyeglasses are then distributed to those in need by Lion volunteers and other organizations hosting optical missions in developing countries.

The Indiana Lions circulate wooden recycling boxes to schools, churches and other organizations interested in collecting eyeglasses on behalf of the association.  The boxes are built by local Lions and high school students from wood scraps provided by a local cabinetmaker.

For the last four years, the Lions in Indiana have sent a mission team composed of medical professionals, Lions volunteers, High School Spanish students and teachers to Mexico to distribute eyeglasses to needy people. For more information, you can contact our local club at 872-2197 - Tim Leary, President.

Those pesky packing peanuts don't have much recycling potential, but they can be reused, which is even better. Many packing, shipping and moving stores will take used peanuts. Just pack them up in (recycled) plastic bags, and drop them off next time you are nearby. Suitable businesses can be located under "packaging" in the yellow pages. Typical chain stores include Mail Boxes Etc. and The Postal Annex. For a partial list of local collection sites, try the Plastic Loosefill Council at 1-800-828-2214 (24 Hours).

Some peanuts are not made of plastic. If you find a peanut that looks like a cheese puff, try licking it. One type of peanut is made from vegetable starch, and dissolves almost instantly in water. These taste somewhat like rice cakes, and are just as safe in a compost bin. If you buy peanuts, strongly consider switching to this type. They're better for the environment, and much much easier to get rid of.

Disposal of rigid foam blocks (such as those protecting new equipment) is problematic. The materials are very lightweight, they're made from natural gas: it is easy to end up with a net environmental loss just transporting the stuff. For most individuals recycling this material is not worth it, though future research into local small-scale reprocessing may change this. If you have large quantities of material, a list of collection sites is available from The Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers.

Compact Discs (CD's), Repair/Reuse/Recycling

Damaged CD's can be repaired, and repair or reuse is definitely a better environmental option than recycling. You have some chance of repairing small numbers of obvious scratches with a mild abrasive such as toothpaste. Work only on the non-label side, with strokes radially out from the center. Professional refinishers such as AuralTech CD Refinishing will repair disks for about $3 each and guarantee the results.

If you just don't like the CD's, give or trade them at a music store or donate them to charity.

Obsolete or unrepairable CD's and cases can be recycled. Recordable CD-R's have about 20mg of gold that can be recovered, and some processors can actually remove the data layer, and reuse the plastic disc. If you are worried about proprietary data, you can cut them with a pair of heavy duty tin shears, or place them in a microwave oven with a small glass of water (for one disc, 5 seconds on medium does a fantastic job, and creates a spectacular light show)

Since CD's are not very valuable, nobody will pay you for recycling. Send pre-paid by UPS Ground, third-class mail, freight or other surface transportation to NESAR Systems, 420 Ashwood Road, Darlington, PA 16115 (724)827-8172 or Digital Audio Disk Corporation, Attention: Disc Recycling Program, 1800 Fruitridge Ave., Terre Haute, IN 47804-1788, (812) 462-8323.

Disposable single use cameras, Recycling

Recent studies have show that, despite the recycling claims on the boxes, less than half of disposable cameras are ever actually recycled. Enough cameras have been tossed to circle the planet, stacked end-to-end. Local film developers often have little or no incentive to return the camera bodies to the manufacturers, and not all parts of the cameras are recyclable. Kodak has started to minimally reimburse developers for the costs of sorting, storing and shipping, but processors are still faced with a bewildering variety of types, brands, and procedures for dealing with them.

Inexpensive fully-automatic 35mm cameras can be purchased for about $20 if you look carefully. These cameras will give better results and cost less to use than the disposables. If you must use a disposable camera, be sure to take it to a developer that explicitly promises to recycle the remains.

For the last 25 years Saint Jude's Ranch, a non-profit youth home, has operated a holiday card reuse program. The ranch provides counseling and opportunities for troubled youth. The kids operate a business taking used greeting cards, neatly cutting off the front covers, gluing on new back covers, and selling the result. The kids earn money, experience and a sense of purpose.

You send either entire cards, or cards with the backs cut off. Send bundles of cards via UPS ground or the "library rate" rate at the post office. St. Jude's Card Recycling, 100 St. Jude Street, Post Office Box 60100, Boulder City, NV 89006.

Your unwanted household items can have a life again if you donate them to charity. Organizations such as Goodwill Industries will take your donations, sort and sometimes repair them, and resell them in thrift shops nationwide. Broken items are fixed, and scrap materials (like worn-out textiles) are sold for recycling. Goodwill provides jobs and job training for tens of thousands of people who would otherwise have trouble finding work. In 1994 alone Goodwill assisted 25,000 people finding placement in the private sector, helping many people get off public assistance. Wash the clothing, and try to include manuals or brochures on appliances (especially if broken). Surf the net, scan the white pages or look in the yellow pages under "Thrift Shops" for a charity and drop-off center near you.

Nonstick metal cookware and utensils can be refinished (See Fry Pan Man for one provider).

Another great option is the local repair shop. Don't expect to sell your old appliance, just give it to the shop for use as spare parts.

As always, you are welcome to bring your old household appliances to the Tire & White Goods collection, organized by the Solid Waste District.

Sneakers & Athletic Shoes, Recycling

Nike corporation grinds up shoes and reuses some of the components for athletic mats, which are donated to good causes. Call 1-800-352-NIKE and navigate deep into the menu for drop-off locations and a Reuse-A-Shoe program description. Next time you buy shoes, ask the store if they participate in any recycling programs.

Natural fiber carpets can be composted. Old synthetic carpets have value as recycled materials. Individual consumers generally can't get rid of a carpet, but you can ask installers and renovation companies if they will do it for you. Don't let a major carpet job go by without asking about recycling! See also DuPont's Carpet Recycling Information.