Recycling - Reducing and Reusing

Thanks to those who attended the Recycling program last Thursday evening.  It was good to have a full room and lots of questions for the local experts presenting about recycling.  The more each of us knows then we can more properly dispose of items.  Many things can be recycled these days - used oil, household hazardous waste,  mercury-containing items,  plastics, metals, and paper.  The amount of recycling is going up.  Meanwhile, it's good to have REDUCE and REUSE be part of everyone's vocabulary and actions.  Can we use our own -re-usable bags?  Can we put usable unwanted items at places like the Superior Re-Use Center at the Superior Landfill or at the Re-Store Habitat for Humanity Store or Goodwill?   Toys, clothes, kitchen accessories and many other items might be just what someone else is looking for.    Paint, stains, and other household hazardous waste can be dropped off at no charge at WLSSD's ReUse Center.  It's also a place people can go to pick up things for free.
Remember some items are banned from the landfill.  Stop in here for accessing information about our landfill.  Here is our disposal guide.  People in Douglas Co. can learn more about recycling from the Douglas Co. Recycling Coordinator. 
  One of the largest man-made structures in the world is the Fresh Kills Landfill on the East Coast.  It's closed now and other landfills have closed and all have limited life spans.  The Superior Municipal Landfill with its five cells extends high up as more and more trash is added from Superior, from Duluth, from Ashland and other sites.

A recent article in the Duluth News Tribune summarized a study through the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.   This is a summary report of the study.  Page 9 is especially interesting as it's the breakdown of the categories.  http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/view-document.html?gid=20102

Go to some of the links provided to keep learning about proper disposal of waste and all the opportunities with recycling.  The final links I'd like to share are two sites that let you search on topics about recycling and where some items can be recycled. 
www.earth911.com
http://1800recycling.com/

If you would like help raise money through recycling for groups in town keep an ear out.  An aluminum can drop-off cage is along Belknap by Subway.  The high school has a glossy paper pickup. Perhaps people can start their own fundraising through recycling.  There also is a clothing and shoe US Again green bin near the corner of Belknap and Hill.