In these difficult economic times as people look for ways to save, there is an often overlooked area where saving would benefit everyone in the community and the environment as well. That area is recycling.

Scott Hurley, director, and Brian Houck, collections manager, with Ashe County Department of Environmental Services want to educate people on the issue of recycling. Houck often goes into schools to talk to students, and he says they are more conscientious than their parents when it comes to recycling.

Hurley said people are often unaware of just what can be recycled, and effective Oct. 1, there are new opportunities – and requirements – for recycling.

There is a list of items banned from disposal in the county landfill and this list will expand again in 2011.

According to state law, no person shall knowingly dispose of the following solid wastes in landfills: used motor oil, yard trash, white goods, antifreeze, aluminum cans, whole scrap tires, lead-acid batteries, and commercially required recyclable beverage containers.

Effective Oct. 1, the list of banned items now includes recyclable rigid plastic containers such as milk jugs, juice and soda pop bottles, lotion and shampoo bottles, and other types of recyclable plastic containers not including those used in the sale or distribution of motor oil.

Hurley reports a list of seven types of plastic containers that are recyclable and are accepted at county convenience centers and the landfill for recycling. They are the following materials with the noted recyclable label:

• for polyethylene terephthalate, the letters ‘PETE’ and the number 1

• for high density polyethylene, the letters ‘HDPE’ and the number 2

• for vinyl, the letter ‘V’ and the number 3

• for low density polyethylene, the letters ‘LDPE’ and the number 4

• for polypropylene, the letters ‘PP’ and the number 5

• for polystyrene, the letters ‘PS’ and the number 6

• for any other, the letters OTHER’ and the number 7.

Also effective Oct. 1, wooden pallets used in commercial business are not accepted for disposal at the convenience centers or landfill. They also cannot be burned. Residents can bring wooden pallets to the landfill where they will be placed on a trailer and hauled to a site in Charlotte for rebuilding or disposal. Coming in 2011, computer equipment will not be accepted for disposal, but hopefully there will be a recycling project by then.

As people recycle their plastic jugs and bottles, Hurley said they must be emptied of product and lids removed. Crushing is more difficult with the lids on the containers. Labels do not have to be removed, but the container should be rinsed of any residue of product, such as milk or shampoo.

Hazardous materials such as pesticides, paint, antifreeze and gasoline containers can be taken to the recycling center on Doggett Road in West Jefferson. Used motor oil and filters can be taken to any of the convenience centers for recycling.

And now there are special containers at the convenience centers for recycling compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. These bulbs contain small amounts of mercury and should be disposed of in a proper container if unbroken. Hurley said that if one of these lights is accidentally broken, leave the room for five minutes, then return and sweep up the broken parts and dispose with regular trash. Only if unbroken do they need to be disposed of in the special container.

Hurley and Houck are hoping more residents will recycle as they realize the savings to themselves and the county. Landfill expansion is very expensive and conserving space makes each cell last longer.

Tarp Day

To encourage residents to cover their loads of trash taken to the landfill and convenience centers, the county is conducting a Tarp Day on Saturday, Oct. 3 from 8 a.m. to noon. State law requires trash in the back of trucks, or however it is hauled, to be covered so that none will blow out into the road or along the roadways.

Ashe County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Center is working with the Keep America Beautiful program to help reduce littering. As a result, the Keep America Beautiful program has provided approximately 240 tarps to Ashe County, and these will be given out to local residents on Saturday at the landfill.

“Last year, the tarp program was funded by the State of North Carolina, but this year Keep America Beautiful is funding it because of the situation with the state’s economy,” said Ed Rodgers, chairman of the Chamber Tourism Development Committee. “Ashe County is seeking certification in the Keep America Beautiful program, and the Chamber has taken the lead role, so this is a step in that direction.”

“Thanks to Keep America Beautiful, we have six boxes of tarps to give away at no cost, and there will be Chamber members and others at the landfill on Saturday to hand them out,” said Rodgers. “We look forward to as many people showing up as possible. This is a way for people who don’t have a tarp, or need a new one, to get one at no cost. We hope they will use it and help keep Ashe County beautiful.”