For Immediate Release
December 18, 2015
Contact: Brian Pugh
Waste Reduction CoordinatorRecycling & Trash Collection Division
479.718.7685bpugh@fayetteville-ar.gov
Holiday Season Tips to Recycle Something and for Reducing Waste
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The holiday season is upon us, and with it, comes excess trash as households deal with parties, presents, and other holiday activities. Much of the waste generated is actually recyclable, so this holiday season make an effort to Recycle Something!
Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) Program - Since Fayetteville operates a Pay-As-You-Throw residential trash program, managing the extra holiday volume can prove somewhat of a challenge. As a reminder, each single family household receives four free virtual stickers annually to use throughout the year. The virtual stickers are used when extra bags of trash are set out on the curb for collection with your normal weekly service. The number of remaining virtual stickers appears on your monthly utility bill. After a household uses its four allotted virtual stickers, the charge will be $6.20 per bag for trash set out at the curb or for each collection when trash is above the rim of the cart.
Waste Reduction Tips - The City’s recycling markets will not accept wrapping paper contaminated with tape, glitter, etc. Please only recycle clean paper – free from any type of contamination. Here are some helpful hints as we go through this busy period of the year:
• Be creative with “no wrap” options. Hide that large, unwieldy gift somewhere in the house or yard. Give the recipient a card with a series of clues leading to the present.
• Wrap gifts in materials that can be reused, such as baskets, tins, scarves, and handkerchiefs. Gift bags are an attractive, reusable alternative to wrapping paper. • Newspaper comics, magazines, old posters, maps, and blueprints make unique gift wrap – and they’re recyclable.
• If you purchase gift wrap, look for paper with a high percentage of post-consumer recycled content. • Unwrap gifts carefully. Dedicate a collection area for gift wrap, trim, and boxes to be reused next year.
• Instead of Styrofoam packing peanuts and bubble wrap, cushion gifts with recyclable newsprint or plastic grocery bags, unbuttered popcorn, or corn-based packing peanuts that disintegrate in water. • Save and reuse packing peanuts that you receive or donate them to a local mailing and shipping store. It’s always good to call and check with the store first.
• Avoid the holiday mail bottleneck by sending an electronic greeting card via the internet. There is a wide selection of colorful, animated cards to fit all occasions. Cut up and use last year’s holiday cards as this year’s gift tags. • Gifts such as movie passes or donations to organizations on behalf of someone are especially meaningful.
• Avoid disposables. Serve your holiday guests with reusable plates, cups, and utensils. Less waste goes to landfills and real dishes lend an elegant touch to your party. • Artificial trees can be used year after year.
• Always try to use rechargeable batteries for all your new gifts. This reduces disposal problems with regular batteries. • Please take plastic bags back to retail stores that offer recycle of bags at their store entrance.
Recycling Drop Off Facilities and E-Scrap - The Marion Orton Recycling Drop Off Center (735 W. North Street) and the Fayetteville Recycling Drop Off Center (1420 S. Happy Hollow Road) are great options for recycling the extra materials generated during the holidays. The Marion Orton site is open from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday; on Thursdays it is open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. The site is closed on Sundays. The
S. Happy Hollow Road site is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Do you have extra E-Scrap items such as old computers or televisions that need to be recycled after the holidays? If so, you can take them to the Washington County Environmental Affairs Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) facility located at 2615 Brink Drive next to the Washington County Jail. From December 28, 2015 through January 8, 2016 – the normal fee for recycling of electronics will be waived and Fayetteville residents can drop off items for free at the Washington County HHW facility. After that date, City of Fayetteville residents can still drop off electronics for free by using coupons provided by the City. The coupons can be redeemed onsite at HHW facility. Call Washington County at 479-444-1725 for more information.
Light Strand Recycling - The City of Fayetteville will be accepting strands of lights for recycling at the Marion Orton Recycling Center located at 735 W. North Street during normal operating hours until Friday, Jan. 8. The copper wire is recovered for the strands. If you have lights that are not working, please don’t put them in the trash, bring them to the recycling center.
Christmas Tree Recycling - Christmas trees are recycled with the City composting program. Christmas trees will be collected throughout the month of January 2016, when placed curbside with yardwaste collection. Yardwaste collection occurs the same day as the normal trash and recycling collection. Please allow ample space around the trash cart and recycling bin for ease of collection. All trees must be free from all plastic bags, stands, decorations, lights, and tinsel before they will be collected. No artificial trees will be collected for composting.
Residents can also bring trees to the City’s composting facility free of charge during normal operating hours. The composting facility is located at 1708 S. Armstrong Avenue in southeast Fayetteville. The hours of operation are Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the first Saturday of each month from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The composting facility produces mulch and compost. Mulch is normally $10 per scoop plus tax, but is free the month of January 2016 due to an excess supply. Compost is $20 per scoop plus tax. Each scoop is approximately 2½ cubic yards or enough to fill up the bed of a pickup truck. Mulch and compost are available during normal hours at the Compost facility while supplies last.
Much of the mulch is made from ground up trees collected through the City’s yardwaste program and is great for moisture retention around plants. Compost is made from leaves and grass and goes through a biological process to create a soil amendment.
For more information, please contact the Recycling and Trash Collection Office at 479-575-8398 or visit our webpage. Recycling information is also available at www.recyclesomething.org
For additional tips about reducing your carbon footprint and waste this holiday season, view a holiday “Green Your Life” segment on YouTube.
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