(EDITOR'S NOTE: Confused about what you can and can’t recycle, not to mention the “where” and “how”? Let Covington’s Solid Waste & Recycling team break it down for you.)
COVINGTON, Ky. – Whether you’re shutting down your pool, clearing out beach bags, ridding your backyard of summer party remnants, or still cleaning up the back-to-school mess, here is some guidance.
- Bug spray & sunscreen (plastic or aerosol): Make sure you empty them, remove the pumps and (from metal bottles) the plastic tips.
- Cardboard & cartons: (Shipping boxes from online orders, tissue boxes, milk cartons and juice boxes). Remove the “extras,” such as straws, tape and packing material.
- Plastic tubs & Play-Doh: When dried out Play-Doh ceases to entertain, discard the dried-up ’doh and recycle the tub.
- Paper: (Construction paper, printer paper of all colors, and folders.)
- Plastic film: Plastic shopping bags and overwrap from plastic water bottles for lunch boxes are recyclable in the Bag2Bag program at your local retailer. Search by zip code here: https://bagandfilmrecycling.org/
- Propane tanks: Certain tanks can be exchanged in cylinder exchange programs, like Blue Rhino. Or contact Environmental Enterprises at (800) 722-2818 to recycle for a fee.
- Charcoal embers: Kingsford’s website suggests extinguishing the coals by suffocating them for two full days or dousing with water. Once they’re completely cooled, wrap them in aluminum foil, and discard in the trash. Read about charcoal safety here.
- Pool chemicals: Acceptable at the annual Household Hazardous Waste Event on the first Saturday in November. More information here. Or contact Environmental Enterprises at (800) 722-2818 to recycle for a fee.
- Streamers & balloons: Reuse decorations when possible to avoid the waste. Otherwise, streamers and balloons are trash.
- Fireworks: Extinguish them COMPLETELY by submerging in water for two days, then place in the trash.
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