Disposal of Prescription Drugs

Although prescription drugs represent a small percentage of the many man-made chemicals finding their way into water, they have the potential for great biological harm.   Most scientists believe that the level of prescription drugs found in our water supply is too low to cause human health issues.  But the current prescription drug levels in our lakes and rivers do have a dramatic effect on fish.  Fish may represent the "canary in the mineshaft" for drug pollution.

There are two main ways for the drugs to make their way into the environment.  The first is through human excretion.  The second way results from people flushing unused drugs down the toilet or sink. There is little we can do about human excretion except possibly reduce the amount of drugs we take.  But we can do something about how unused drugs are disposed of.

The preferred method of disposal is to make use of a pharmaceutical take-back program.  These may be found at some hospitals, senior centers and police stations.  If you want to dispose of the drugs in your regular garbage then take the advice of the U.S. government:  mix the drugs with an unpleasant substance such as used kitty litter, coffee grinds or saw dust (not a joke).  This will prevent the drugs from falling into the hands of garbage scavengers.

I'm Finished Painting - Now What?

By Steve Auger

Did you know that Americans use more than a billion gallons of paint every year?  Almost 40% of households do not know how to dispose of paint and end up storing left over's in the basement.

Here are some guidelines on how to wind up your painting project.  First have a look at how much paint is left in the can.  If you did a good job of estimating (before buying the paint) then you may have only a little paint left.  If this is the case then try to use it up by over painting areas previously painted.

Next, consider keeping/storing a mixture of leftover paints for future paint projects.  The mixture will tend to be a neutral blend and may be useable for undercoat.  When you store paint the opening should be covered with plastic wrap.  Then close the lid and use a mallet to seal the lid.  Store the paint can upside down to prevent drying out and store in a cool dry area. 

If you have more than 1/3 gallon of latex-based paint then you may be able to swap for another color through local paint swapping programs,  You may also find an organization such as a church, high school drama department, Habitat for Humanity chapter or community group that will accept donations.

In most areas, latex paint can be allowed to dry out and then disposed of as normal garbage.  You can dry the paint out by removing the paint can lid.  Add an absorbent material such as kitty litter to speed up the drying process.

If the paint is oil-based then it is considered hazardous material and should be dropped off at the nearest hazardous waste depot. 

Apartment Recycling

Apartment Recycling Tips

Author: Nina Seidl

According to a 2007 news story by the CBC, Ottawa’s apartment tenants throw out an astonishing 81 per cent of all materials that could be recycled!

While the routine behind garbage and recycling collection can certainly be different when you’re living in an apartment (compared to living in single-family house), just because you’re in a high-rise doesn’t mean you’re above recycling.

What You Can Recycle

Although the bins might be different sizes and different colours than the ones in single-family homes, the same types of materials can still be recycled when you’re living in an apartment building:

• Plastic containers with a recycling triangle on the bottom, including all bottles, pails, tubs and jugs
• Aluminum drink cans
• Tin food cans
• Milk and juice cartons
• Juice boxes
• Glass jars and bottles (clear and coloured)
• Newspapers and inserts, flyers and junk mail
• Magazines, phone books, household paper, shredded paper and envelopes
• Cardboard egg cartons and paper tubes
• Flattened cardboard (e.g., cereal, cracker, tissue, laundry, shoe and packing boxes)

All apartment buildings should have onsite recycling containers (and some even have dedicated recycling rooms on each floor, for maximum tenant convenience). If you’re not sure where the recycling bins in your building are located, check with your building manager.

For proper disposal of special waste such as paint, construction materials, appliances, tires, or old mattresses and furniture, talk to the building manager or superintendent of your building – don’t just mindlessly throw it away!

Avoid Recycling Bin Contamination

With so many things capable of being recycled, why then is so much of it thrown away? A leading factor in the amount of recyclables that are tossed out with the trash is the contamination of apartment recycling bins – and it’s an issue that apartment tenants can prevent with just a little bit of effort.

When materials are placed in the wrong recycling bin, nothing can be recycled! The bin is either left behind or the contents must be collected as garbage, as it is too costly and time-consuming to sort through. To avoid this:

• Don’t put your recyclables in plastic bags. These bags cannot be recycled, and as a result, anything placed inside plastic bags cannot be recycled either. As well, don’t tie your materials together, as processing facilities cannot remove string or wires.
• Remember, glass, metal and plastic go into one bin. Paper and cardboard go into the other. Don’t put your material into the first recycling bin you see, and don’t toss any sort of garbage into the recycling bin!
• Not everything is recyclable. Items such as hard plastics (cups and dishes), styrofoam packaging, motor oil bottles, aerosol cans, chip bags and candy wrappers, etc. should not be put in the recycling bins.

Get Paid to Recycle

If, for whatever reason, you need a bigger incentive to recycle than helping the environment, how’s this – recycling can save you money, too! Instead of placing them in your apartment building’s bins, you can always return your empty wine, beer, and spirit container to The Beer Store for a full deposit refund. This includes glass bottles, bag-in-box, Tetra Pak containers, plastic bottles, and aluminum and steel containers on which deposits have been charged.

It’s clear that as apartment tenants, we need to work extra hard to make sure we recycle everything we can. To this end, the City of Ottawa has made a Recycling and Disposal Guide available to all Ottawa residents living in apartment buildings. It can be downloaded at: http://www.ottawa.ca/city_services/recycling_garbage/apartment/index_en.html.

About the Author:

Looking for an apartment for rent in Ottawa? Paramount Properties is Ottawa’s second largest residential property management company. With more than 4,500 Ottawa apartment rentals available in some of the city’s finest locations, we’re your #1 choice for an Ottawa apartment.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Apartment Recycling Tips

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