for so many unwanted items Napa’s popular program recently expanded to include textiles J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4 55 Napa’s Recycle More Program A convenient option By now, many of us are accustomed to using our blue recycling carts to ensure recycling of many important materials such as aluminum, glass, plastic, cardboard and paper. While that has a significant impact on reducing the amount of valuable materials sent to landfill, there have always been numerous other items with value that are not accepted in the blue recycling cart and for which convenient recycling options were not available at the curb. To address this gap in convenience, the City of Napa, Napa Recycling and Waste Services (NRWS) and the Napa Sanitation District teamed up in 2013 to begin free curbside collection for many of these “other” items. This past April, residents and businesses in the City of Napa were able to begin scheduling appointments at no charge with NRWS for the curb-side collection of items such as metal appliances, large scrap metal items and electronic waste commonly referred to as “ewaste.” In addition, the “Recycle More” program collects used cooking oil from residences in the City. This new service has allowed for the collection of these items that in the past have either required the public to self-haul them to a local facility or pay an additional fee to NRWS to have them picked up. Now the service is available to City (NRWS) customers for no charge simply by calling NRWS (255-5200) or visiting http://www.NapaRecycling.com/recycle-more to schedule an appointment. The program has been a huge hit in the City, with approximately 1,000 pick-ups performed in its first six months that have produced more than 3,500 items of e-waste and over 600 metal items. Approximately 150 containers of cooking oil have also been collected during this time. To further build on the initial success of the Recycle More program, the City of Napa and NRWS sought to further enhance the convenience for City of Napa residents and businesses by adding clothing, shoes, textiles, books, handbags/backpacks, and toys to the list of items that can be picked up for no charge. This service began in November after the City of Napa and NRWS established a relationship with Goodwill Industries of theRedwood Empire to receive these items and get them back out for reuse or recycling through their operations. While items can have holes and stains, they must not be wet or they cannot be accepted. Items not in sufficient shape for reuse will be recycled. As it stands, according to US Environmental Protection Agency data about 85% of used clothing and shoes currently end up going to landfills, so with the community’s participation this program can make a significant difference in reducing overall waste and promoting reuse and recovery through a reputable charitable partner. Numerous other opportunities also exist outside of the Recycle More program for donating these types of unwanted items. Find them at www.naparecycling.com/clothing-furniture-book-donations. To take advantage of the convenient opportunity now available through the Recycle More program to recycle your used clothing and other accepted items, schedule a Recycle More appointment by calling NRWS at (707) 255-5200, or by visiting http://www.naparecycling.com/recycle-more.
NVLife_Feb_2014
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