No matter how many products I refuse to buy because of their plastic packaging or content, it’s impossible to be completely pure about it. The only cat food my cat will eat comes in a large plastic bag that requires special handling if I don’t want to just discard it. Rice crackers, grocery store organic fruits, potato chips, pill bottles, and broken small appliances, etc. all are in plastic that can’t go into the local recycling containers. What to do?
Well, there are two alternatives to landfilling them that I’ve come across. No doubt there are others. One I found is fairly local, the other isn’t but is still available with some planning.
Aurum Recycling Destruction and Recovery is a family-owned business in Goffstown that takes your small appliances, electronics, and scrap metal. Their website states that they’ve been in business for 30 years. I discovered them some years ago with a web search and have brought a no-longer-repairable sewing machine, and a broken paper shredder. My “silent partner” in this endeavor tells me she just brought them broken Christmas lights, DVDs, a laptop and a silver-plated coffee pot. She went home with $11.00 for the coffee pot. In fact, Aurum will buy copper, aluminum, brass, zinc, silver-plate, sterling and pewter from you. They will charge for handling hazardous materials like air conditioners, and refrigerators, but transfer station fees are likely to be greater.
As for that unavoidable plastic packaging and hygiene product bottles, I recommend readers check out TERRACYCLE’s website. It is based in New Jersey but accepts most kinds of plastic via its own boxes that you purchase from the website. The box comes with a free mailing label to return it when it is full. My “silent partner” has provided a photo of the one at her house, ready to send to NJ. It took 6 months to fill, pressing the wrappers down time and again. The box is a bit costly at $85.00 but for 6 months of collecting, that’s $14.00/month. Consider what you would avoid paying for Concord’s purple bags and that reduces the Teracycle cost. Terracycle’s charge for the box covers their expense in handling and converting our waste products to usable items.
But then, Terracycle also offers free recycling in partnership with various product companies who will send you a free bag to fill with their specific containers. You then return them, postage paid, to Terracycle. Sample companies include Bauch and Lomb, Arm and Hammer, Brita, and even cigarette waste packages and butts. There are too many to list here, but again, check the website of Terracycle for their free options. There is no time limit for returning the full bags.
Too much trouble? Not really. It just takes some deliberate small steps. Considering that currently less than 10% of single-use packaging is recycled, these options just might turn that figure into something more impressive for our society and mother earth.
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