Recycling odd items
 Batteries
Batteries contain hazardous materials, and should not be thrown in the
garbage. King County’s household
hazardous waste collection facilities will take any of the batteries you use at
home (alkaline, button, rechargeable and motor vehicle batteries).
There's also another option for worn out rechargeable batteries: Call2Recycle will take them free of charge!
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Refrigerators and freezers
Are you thinking about replacing your refrigerator or freezer? What do you do with the old one? Refrigerators and Freezers contain hazardous substances (chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs) which must be recycled. There are a number of businesses in and around King County that offer pick-up and drop-off appliance recycling.
 Mattresses
Mattresses are bulky, hard to deal with at the landfill, and contain
recyclable resources. Because of this, more and more retailers are recycling
customers’ old mattresses when they drop off a new one.
When you buy a bed, ask your retailer what they do with your old
mattress and ask them to recycle yours. If you’re looking for a way to recycle
a mattress on your own, visit What Do I Do With? to find a recycling location in your community.
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 Collecting food waste doesn't have to stink
Here are a few tips to keep your kitchen food scrap collection smelling
fresh (or at least not bad):
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Line it!
Compostable
bags are a great choice, but if you want to take your green credentials one
step further and REUSE something, you can easily make a liner out of newspaper.
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Empty it!
Empty your container into your curbside yard waste bin regularly and give it a
quick wash. If the food waste isn’t there, you won’t smell it.
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Fight it!
Sprinkle a little baking soda or spray vinegar in your kitchen collection container
as a preventative measure. This will help absorb the unwanted odors.
Any other great odor fighting tips you use at home? We would love to
hear them on the Recycle More
Facebook page.
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Using your freezer to keep food fresh
Is it cold enough? Freezers should be kept at 0° F. This is quite a bit colder than the freezing point, but it
will keep foods fresh and safe longer.
Am I packing it right? Whether
you’re using freezer bags, foil, or a vacuum sealer, the most important thing
to remember is that you want to keep air out (air causes freezer burn), so wrap
up your food tightly. Packing in single portions can add some convenience and
make it easier to eat frozen foods. Also, when you’re choosing a container,
remember that frozen liquids expand – don’t fill it too full!
Do I have a system? Just like
with your closet or your calendar, it helps to keep things in the freezer
organized. Labeling your frozen foods with a date will help you remember how
long something has been in there and let you know what to eat first.
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