County offers recycling tips for residents

Clark Fork Valley Press

Sanders County recognized America Recycles Day this past Sunday.

Recycling coordinator Kathy Conlin shared some important information and how and what county residents can recycle locally.

According to “National Geographic,” Americans send 64 tons of waste to landfills during their lifetime. That’s 246 million tons of waste each year. America Recycles Day aims to encourage Americans to purchase recycled products and recycle more.

Think just one person can’t make a difference?

Lauren Singer developed a zero-waste lifestyle where she’s able to reduce, reuse and recycle everything she consumes. She’s got this down to a science — and is now able to fit all of the trash she’s produced within the last four years in a single mason jar.

Her website proves that if everyone lived similarly, waste wouldn’t be nearly as much of a problem.

Check out www.trashisfortossers.com and "Google" zero waste living and get ideas!

Folks get frustrated that they can’t recycle everything they want to in Sanders County.

But Conlin said residents can focus on what can be done.

She offered the following suggestions:

1. Let’s get cracking on recycling what we can here
2. Let’s put our passion for recycling to the test by saving up other items to take to Missoula or Kalispell.

Conlin provided a list of things it accepts at its recycling facility.

• Clean, flattened corrugated cardboard. (No cereal box-types…that’s paper board)
• Empty aluminum cans.
• Rinsed out tin cans.
• All metal.
• Vehicle batteries.
• Used Vehicle oil.

Facilities in Missoula and Kalispell accepts the following:

• All of the above.
• Plastics #1 and #2 (translucent only-no color plastic)
• Paper (Newspaper, magazines, junk mail, office paper, cereal boxes, egg cartons, etc.

Republic Services does not take catalogs with the glued edge

• Used Electronics-Take to Republic Services and Pacific Recycling in Missoula.

Conlin also reported the county's annual used electronics event this fall brought in more than 5 1/2 tons this year.