recycling

[sonofabish.livejournal.com]

A couple of quick recycling questions. Thanks to everyone who answered and check the comments for more options and detailed information.

1- Which local grocery stores have recycling bins for plastic bags?

http://community.livejournal.com/davis_square/924698.html Quick answer is Shaws/Porter Sq and Johnny's Foodmaster

2- Where can I recycle old ink-jet catridges? quick answer is Staples. Other places as well, and some offer coupons, but generally, Epson cartridges are not eligible.

3- Where can I recycle an old cellphone? (the battery is shot, so it's not suitable to donate to a domestic violence program.)

Quick answer again is Staples.

Comments

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

I just happened to notice today that Tags in Porter Square has some sort of bags for recycling cellphones.

Re: New USPS Program, worth checking out?

[sonofabish.livejournal.com]

Interesting, but I'm staying away from the post office until they can tell me where my certified-mailed passport might be.

[joyfulkel.livejournal.com]

i think domestic violence shelters will take them even if the battery is shot because they get money for them. I heard about this when Voices against Violence came in to my internship.

best buy has bins for recycling stuff like printer cartidges.

[sonofabish.livejournal.com]

If you can find out if this is true, I'd appreciate it.

And thanks about Best Buy.

cell phones

[jarrighi.livejournal.com]

Yes it is true. I worked for a sexual assault hotline in NY. They always take phones whether or not they are usable because they can send them in for a couple of dollars. Most places that collect phones will do the same.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

You should also check with the manufacturer: they might have a recycling program.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

Staples recycles printer cartridges.

This (http://www.recyclewirelessphones.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=collection_sites.main) has links to the various providers' phone-recycling programs.

[ron_newman]

Staples recycles some printer cartridges and gives you a coupon credit for them, but not all. Not Epson, for instance.

[witzwurst.livejournal.com]

They will take all cartridges, but only give credit for ones that can be refilled:

"Staples will pay $3 for the following cartridges. They're eligible for our recycling program because they can be refilled and reused. But to benefit the environment to the fullest extent, please send us every cartridge you collect. We recycle ineligible cartridges for plastic and metal content."

(from http://www.staplesrecyclefored.com/eligible.asp (http://www.staplesrecyclefored.com/eligible.asp))

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

Yep. They'll take everything, which is easy (like the ads say). The coupons are just gravy.

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

that's what i was thinking (domestic violence thing).

I believe the post office has envelopes for ink cartridges. staples also used to have something. I'm working off of some old memories here, so others will be better.

One thing to potentially avoid are those programs that send cell phones to developing countries. first, the resources that go into converting them are pretty high, and then they are disposed of quite poorly. There's this other org that is doing a more eco friendly option which I can try to find if anyone's interested (i work in international health dev., so i'm not just crappin' on poor countries here...)

[schpahky.livejournal.com]

FYI, Foodmaster now has a plastic bag recycling bin inside near the entrance.

[pearlythebunny.livejournal.com]

The PetSmart in Everett (next to the Home Depot) has postage-paid mailers for recycling ink jet cartridges and cell phones. The proceeds from the program are supposed to help homeless pets.

http://www.petsmartcharities.org/donate/toner-cartridge-recycling.php

[magpie-leah.livejournal.com]

Greenward in Porter Square used to take cell phones to be recycled. Not sure if they still do.

http://greenwardshop.com/

[bobobb.livejournal.com]

Tufts has bins on campus -- most easily found in the library -- for batteries, cell phones and print cartridges.

[beezy515.livejournal.com]

The Cambridge DPW website has a fairly comprehensive list of items and the places where they can be recycled:

http://www.cambridgema.gov/TheWorks/departments/recycle/donaterecycle.html (http://www.cambridgema.gov/TheWorks/departments/recycle/donaterecycle.html)

Here is the page specifically about cell phones:


http://www.cambridgema.gov/TheWorks/departments/recycle/cellphones.html (http://www.cambridgema.gov/TheWorks/departments/recycle/cellphones.html)

[beezy515.livejournal.com]

I should look at the rest of the list more closely. I didn't realize that you could recycle rubber bands by dropping bundles into any blue USPS mailbox. This may mark the end of my massive rubber band collection.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Wow, what a list! I can't believe raisin containers get their own item. Thanks for the link.

How great that Cambridge has a compost program now. I'm too lazy to do it myself but I'd love to start bringing my compostables (which is most of my trash) to the Growing Center or something.

[ron_newman]

I'm surprised they want raisin containers recycled with other paper. They are very sticky and sugary, and I though they didn't want food waste mixed with paper.

[beezy515.livejournal.com]

Yes, I am really glad that they started the composting program. I am thinking about participating, but I don't have a car, so I'm not sure how I would bring my 2.5-gallon bucket to the DPW. Probably not on the bus.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

I just realized my comment was ambiguous -- I'm too lazy to do my own composting, but since I'm not a Cambridge resident, can't drop off with them, so am hoping to do so at the Somerville Growing Center, if they're open to it.

[houlette.livejournal.com]

Cambridge DPW is great about recycling all types of plastic bags, not just #2 (which many groceries will take). What about folks in Somerville, though? I have a huge sack of non-#2 plastic bags that I've saved out of habit (I used in live in Cambridge) but don't know what to do with.

[liza.livejournal.com]

Drop them off at the Somerville dog park.

Somerville Lags...

[derekp.livejournal.com]

No plastic bags are acceptable in Somerville recycling, regardless of their number.

[derekp.livejournal.com]

This makes the Somerville recycling information look like the crap. Seemingly available only in PDF and not very friendly for quick lookups. Not to mention, not nearly as detailed. Someone should take 10 minutes to steal Cambridge's list, modify it for Somerville, and put it up on the city website.

-----
The United States Postal Service reuses rubber bands. Bundle or bag rubber bands and:

* Give to your mail carrier
* Drop them in any blue mailbox
* Bring them to any post office in Cambridge:
-----

I've always saved the rubber bands the USPS is so nice to put all my junk mail in, and wondered what to do with them. I can't help but imagine they will get thrown away if I put them in the blue mail drops though...

[sonofabish.livejournal.com]

whoa! rock! Thank you.

Recycle at Somerville High

[tt02144.livejournal.com]

If you'd like to recycle your used ink cartridges and help out some kids at the same time, Somerville High School PTA has a recycling program going for used ink cartridges. Simply bring them to the main office at Somerville High.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_meej_/]

Just this weekend I found out about the existence of Cartridge World (who have a branch nearly in Porter Sq. - see http://tinyurl.com/yvsc2l for map) - I haven't used them, so someone may have more info, but they're a cartridge-refiller and reseller chain.

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

I've gone there to get cartridges cleaned and refilled/replaced (once it turned out I only needed the thing cleaned, so they did it for no charge), but I've never tried just giving them old cartridges I didn't want. Buying ink there cost 1/3 to 1/2 less than it would have cost me to buy new.

[sonofabish.livejournal.com]

I'm just interested in dropping off empty cartridges. I get my ink online and it's pretty cheap.

[inkscarred.livejournal.com]

You can recycle plastic bags at Shaws in Porter Square.

[ron_newman]

I'd have many fewer plastic bags in my apartment if the Globe would stop uselessly wrapping my daily newspaper in a bag.

[sonofabish.livejournal.com]

Ron, can you do a new tag "recycling" for this entry? Originally, I searched for that tag to find an answer to my questions and only later stumbled upon the "garbage" tag.

[ron_newman]

Good idea. I'll look into it this week. I'll need to look back at old "garbage" entries to see which ones should have the "recycling" tag instead (or additionally).

[folktraveler.livejournal.com]

Well Cartridge World (Mass. Ave between Creighton and Regent St) does inkjet refills so they might accept empty cartridges too

ETA: Perhaps I should've read the thread first ;)

[agharta75.livejournal.com]

Walgreens will refill your used printer cartridge for about half the cost of a new one.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

OP, can you fix your post a bit? Staples accepts Epson cartridges for recycling--they just don't give you coupons in return the way they do for brands they sell.

Davis Square plastic bags

[superflyjanie.livejournal.com]

CVS at One Davis Square recently began recycling plastic bags. Right in the front doorway.