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Recycling Makes a Difference
Recycling Makes a Difference Recycling Makes a Difference
Recycle, Compost, or Toss?
words Sarah Richards Discerning between garbage, compost, recycling, or donating can get tricky. While some items can’t be traditionally recycled, many can be reused and are collected by individuals or organizations. For starters, Best Buy is a great place to recycle any electronics or appliances at no charge; if you’re updating products you can have them pick up and haul away large appliances like TVs, freezers, microwaves, ovens, washers and more when they deliver your new items. You can drop off recycled items three at a time per household.
BATTERIES ARE ALSO RECYCLABLE. All of your single-use batteries (found in remotes, watches, toys, smoke detectors, etc.), as well as rechargeable batteries (found in power tools, some cameras, and other electronic items), should be recycled responsibly. Cellphones are another item that can be recycled. If they are in good condition, they might even be upcycled by refurbishing them and reselling them. It’s important to understand that not all materials can be recycled even though they might fall under a particular category. Did you know, while pizza boxes are cardboard, they are turned away at most recycling dropoffs? Any paper-based food storage item, including takeout containers, wrappers, or food bags, can’t be placed into bins, but are great for composting.
On the other hand, garbage is defined as “municipal solid waste.” Anything that you can’t recycle or compost should be thrown away. This is going to include a large list of items from animal products to everyday household or personal care items. Avoid composting bones from your chicken supper, any old meats, and fish skins; chemicals and paint; pits from avocados, peaches, mangos, and other fruits; cooking oil of any kind; and dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and cream.
DON’T FORGET ABOUT COMPOSTING! Composting isn’t right for everyone, but it can really help reduce the trash you have each week, as well. This process transforms certain types of waste and biodegradable garbage into material that can be used in gardens around your neighborhood as fertilizer. Even if you don’t have a vegetable garden, compost works great with floral gardens, too.
UNDERSTANDING THE NUMBERS
Polyethylene Terephthalate High-Density Polyethylene Polyvinyl Chloride
Food containers, water bottles, polyester fibers Plastic bags, milk containers, detergent bottles Flooring, window frames, plumbing pipes
Low-Density Polyethylene
Plastic bags, squeeze bottles, frozen food bags
Polypropylene Polystyrene
Disposable cups, take away and yogurt containers, furniture Styrofoam, toys, CD cases, video cassettes, takeout containers
All other plastics
Bioplastics, CD, baby bottles, reusable bottles
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene
Appliances, toys, computer plastics
Sustainable Living
Recycling isn’t only good for the environment–it has positive impacts on the community you live in. For starters, it can extend the life of your landfills.
Petrika Peters is a mother of two, holds an advanced degree in environmental policy and currently teaches classes in political science and sustainability at Black Hills State University. She also owns a consulting business, was the former sustainability coordinator on campus and is a member of the board and co-founder of MakeSPACE in Spearfish.
Growing up in an earth-conscious home, Petrika developed a passion for environmental policy. “It’s always been a focus in my own personal life—how to live sustainably and what that looks like on a broader level,” she says. “Recycling is the last option one should consider. We should focus our efforts first on rethinking our choices, refusing anything that’s single-use, reducing our consumption, reusing (through repair, refurbishing, and repurposing) and then yesabsolutely recycle. It’s equally critical.” To organize recycling at home, keep several different bins on hand. Under your sink, place a small trash can for plastic bottles, soup cans, and other aluminum or glass items; if you don’t have enough sink space, place another bin by the trash so it’s easy to remember to recycle.
“You’re still throwing something out when you recycle. Recycling is easy to do because it’s still going in a bin away from the house, and it’s out of your hands,” Petrika says.
When it comes to cardboard, keep a stack in the garage or behind your garbage bin, and when you have enough to drop off, load up the car!
“Collectively as a society, we generate so much trash, so yes, recycling is really important.”
Black Hills Drop-Offs Black Hills Drop-Offs
SPEARFISH Restricted Use Site 910 Camp Comfort Road (605) 645-3345 This site accepts cardboard, used oil, scrap metal, tires and more. Visit CityofSpearfish.com to get more information for costs on recycling appliances, electronics, and other household items.
BELLE FOURCHE Northern Hills Recycling Center / Refuse Solutions Inc. 800 Chamber St. (605) 723-7723 This site is unable to accept any paper, household chemicals, hazardous waste, appliances, styrofoam, and several other items. Please review the full list at RefuseSolutionsInc.com before bringing your recyclables.
LEAD/DEADWOOD Adams Salvage Recycling & Recovery (Tri-City Rubble Site) 21314 Yellow Creek Road, Lead (605) 920-8957
STURGIS R & N Recycling 3150 Whitewood Service Rd., Sturgis (605) 347-5785 R & N has almost 30 years of experience aiding the recycling efforts in Sturgis; they accept aluminum, copper, tin, iron, and brass.
26 BLACKHILLSPARENT.COM Sturgis’ Main Collection Site South of exit 32 on Dickson Drive The site is set up to accept cardboard, glass, plastic, metals, newspaper/ magazines/catalogs, as well as tree branches and grass clippings. In 2011, Sturgis was awarded a $25,000 grant from the state to implement recycling; the city hopes to provide curbside collections in the future but has no current pickup in place.
RAPID CITY Rapid City was one of three towns in South Dakota to receive a grant of $148,000. The recipients of the grant were announced early in January this year, and a majority of the funds will go toward building a 30-foot fence that will trap plastic bags and garbage from blowing out of the landfill and into the community. Janice Knight, the project administrator for the Rapid City Solid Waste Division, told reporters, “Solid waste is always changing and the city is turning its focus toward recycling.”
There are more than 15 drop-off sites in and around Rapid City, as well as curbside pickup. Residents can use drop-off sites for cardboard, paper, electronics, batteries and more. Curbside pickup should only be used for glass, most plastics and aluminum/steel cans.
CUSTER Sanders Sanitation Service 12365 Hall Dr. (605) 673-3174
HOT SPRINGS Hot Springs Transfer Station 303 N. River St. (605) 745-3138 They accept plastics, aluminum, scrap metal, batteries, tires, and cardboard. This site also serves as the city’s landfill.
Recycle Makeup
HIPPIE HAVEN in Rapid City can take any unwanted or old makeup products at no charge to you. If you’re emptying your purse and find multiple old lipsticks or blush containers, drive over and drop them off during business hours: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
