The Christmas holidays bring a lot of joy and warmth to winter, but they can also create a lot of unnecessary waste. Here are few tips for an environmentally friendly Christmas clean up!
Recycle Live Trees
What do you do with your live Christmas tree once the holiday season has passed?
The Hendricks County Solid Waste Management District is offering a free Christmas tree recycling service for Hendricks County residents. Remove any decorations and recycle natural Christmas trees at the Brownsburg or Plainfield Recycling Yard Waste centers for free between December 18, 2015 and January 18, 2016. Facilities are open 24 hours daily.
The Brownsburg Recycling Yard Waste center is located at 90 Mardale Avenue. You’ll find the Plainfield facility at 7020 South County Road 875 East. The centers are open from April through November, but an exception is being made for Christmas tree recycling. Trees will become mulch and/or compost with a purpose rather than going into a landfill.
Batteries
Different types of batteries should be disposed of in different ways. These tips from the Hendricks County Solid Waste Management District will help you determine how to dispose of your battieries.
Rechargeable and button batteries need to be recycled; they contain chemicals that are considered hazardous. Throwing these types of batteries away means contaminating soil, air, and water. Many local stores such as Best Buy, Target, Menards, RadioShack, Lowes, and other will accept these types of batteries for recycling. You can find more options at the Hendricks County Solid Waste Management District’s Online Recycling Directory.
Lead-acid batteries also contain hazardous materials and may be recycled at many auto service centers and auto parts stores. Alkaline batteries that are non-rechargeable can be safely disposed of with normal trash, but may also be recycled. These batteries are accepted for recycling in Hendricks County during Tox-Away Days.
Wrapping Paper
Many types of wrapping paper are not recyclable due to the glossy inks used on the paper. Consider an alternative such as fabric, newspaper, or wrapping paper that is marked as recyclable. If you have young children, let them draw fun pictures on blank paper to use as wrapping paper. You can also reuse gift bags and other wrapping materials.