Recycling: Cleaning and decluttering this summer? Here are some tips

Many people I talk with these days are cleaning out their houses, their garages, their sheds. Home improvement projects are on the rise and decluttering is in full effect. I have been fielding a lot of questions on how to properly recycle or dispose of items that are no longer needed or wanted. Here’s some advice on how to properly recycle or dispose of certain household items.

Appliances/white goods/scrap metal

Appliances, referred to at the Transfer Station as “white goods,” are accepted for recycling from any Centre County resident at no charge. We will accept: air conditioners and dehumidifiers; washing and drying machines; dishwashers; furnaces and electrical heaters; water heaters; refrigerators and freezers; stoves, ovens, microwaves and helium tanks. We also accept scrap metal for recycling. To recycle these items, follow the signs to our Scale House upon entering our facility and our Scale Operator will instruct you on where to drop them off.

Televisions/electronics

We accept televisions and many electronic items for recycling free of charge at our facility. Electronic items accepted at our Electronics Recycling Drop-Off area include: desktop, laptop and server computers; cellphones, iPads, IPods, tablets and PDAs; televisions and monitors; desktop printers and desktop copiers; UPS systems and battery backups; computer peripherals (keyboards/mice/speakers) and components as well as cables and wiring. All other electronic items may be placed with your regular trash. If they are not on this list, we cannot accept them for recycling.

Paint/paint cans

Please note there is a difference between latex and oil based paint.

Latex paint, when dry, may be disposed of in your regular trash. If you are simply overwhelmed with latex paint, the Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority’s Transfer Station is allowed to accept up to 5 gallons of latex paint per person per day. There is a $20 minimum charge for this service. Please note that the Authority will not accept latex paint at our yearly Household Hazardous Waste event.

Oil based paint, when dry, may be disposed of in your regular trash. The CCRRA’s Transfer Station will not accept oil based paint in liquid form. If you are simply overwhelmed with oil based paint, the Authority holds a Household Hazardous Waste Collection each year. The Authority accepts oil based paint at this event. In addition, ReStore in Bellefonte takes unopened cans of oil-based paint for reuse. Please call for details: 353-2390.

Tips to dry paint

Get a sturdy cardboard box and fill with clay-based kitty litter, pour the paint onto the kitty litter and let dry. Then dispose of this dried mixture with your trash. Some local hardware and paint stores carry a paint solidifier. Simply purchase, follow directions and when paint is dried, put out for trash collection.

Empty metal paint cans and empty aerosol spray cans may be recycled either curbside or at one of our recycling drop off locations. Empty plastic paint cans can be recycled at one of our recycling drop off locations in the compartment for plastic.

I hope this helps when cleaning this summer! Thanks for recycling!