Residents of Sanitation District 4 are enjoying curbside recycling pickup. Hopefully, you weren’t among a number of neighborhood residents who experienced problems locating the blue recycling bags required for recyclables.
As with any new program, some glitches in the beginning are expected and, in this case, most of the major grocery stores were not stocking the correct bags when the program began last month.
Glad and Hefty manufacture the blue bags, which are available in 13- and 30-gallon sizes. Management of local grocery store chains says the proper bags are being stocked immediately. Lakewood Ace Hardware, 6420 Abrams, 821-5680, also carries blue recycling bags.
If you experience problems locating blue bags, call the Recycling Office at 670-4475.
Blue bags also are available at the following City recreation centers: Ridgewood, 6818 Fisher, 670-5115; Lake Highlands North, 9940 White Rock Trail, 670-7794; Fretz, 6950 Belt Line, 670-6203; and Willie B. Johnson, 12225 Willowdell, 670-6182. At the rec centers, the price for fifty 30-gallon bags is $2.50, cash only, and includes tax.
Some hints about curbside recycling:
- Throw away lids and caps from all containers.
- Rinse and drain all containers.
- It isn’t necessary to remove labels.
- Don’t include aluminum foil, butter tubs, microwave dishes, waxed cardboard food containers (such as fish stick boxes) or plastic bottles for automobile oil and other automotive supplies.
- Have your recyclables out by 7 a.m. on collection day.
- Don’t put out papers when it’s wet.
A Call to Action
Those of us living in districts other than District 4 find it incomprehensible that a Citywide program is still years away.
We need to let City officials know we want this program expanded as soon as possible with a letter-writing campaign to Mayor Steve Bartlett and our City Councilmen, Chris Luna and Craig McDaniel.
Be sure to include your name and address. Address the letter to the proper representative at the City of Dallas, 1500 Marilla, Dallas 75201.
Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day
It’s time to clean out your garages, attics, and closets – a household hazardous waste collection day is planned Nov. 5 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Bring your household hazardous waste to the parking lot of Moody Coliseum, 6024 Airline at SMU.
If you missed the flyer in your water bill, the list of items accepted is quite extensive. Garden/home items include chemical fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, rat poison, artist’s paints/mediums, dry cleaning solvents, moth balls, batteries, photographic chemicals, and swimming pool chemicals.
Garage/workshop items include antifreeze, gasoline, auto batteries, brake fluid, auto body repair products, automatic transmission fluid, other oils/cleaners, oil-based and latex paints, paint thinner/stripper and varnish.
Kitchen/bathroom items include: aerosols, bug sprays, floor care products, metal polish, furniture polish, oven cleaners, drain cleaners, bathroom cleaners, tile cleansers, disinfectants, toilet bowl cleaners, and nail polish remover.
If you have questions, call 904-3017.
Don’t bring: empty containers of any kind, asbestos, radioactive or explosive materials, medical wastes, compressed gasses (propane tanks), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), controlled substances (drugs), ammunition, wastes from regulated generators and businesses.
Here are some tips for using hazardous products at home:
- Choose non-toxic alternatives.
- Make sure a product will do the job you need before purchasing it.
- Use up all of the product, leaving only an empty container for disposal.
- Donate unwanted products to your neighbors or organizations.
- Support local recycling centers or automobile service centers with your old oil, batteries, and other products.
- Use organic lawn and garden alternatives.
