How to Discard Less Waste

QVNA has done the homework for you.

By Lucy Erdelac

It’s a fact: Trash is getting harder and harder to contain in our homes, on our streets, and in our landfills. From paper and delivery boxes to small and large electronics, trash produced throughout the city has grown exponentially.

Tons of Curbside Trash Collected in Philadelphia (January 2017-June 2021)

Source: Data Release: Sanitation Performance Metrics, City of Philadelphia, Office of the Controller, November 21, 2021.

What's in our landfills and why it matters:

• Food, clothing, and paper decay in landfills to produce greenhouse gas.

• As discarded electronics, appliances, and batteries break down, they emit toxins into the soil that spread into groundwater. (Did you know that 70 percent of hazardous waste in our landfills comes from discarded electronics put out with household trash? If it has a cord, please don’t abandon it on the sidewalk or leave it with curbside trash.

Want to responsibly reduce household trash? Here's some easy ways:

Electronics & Small Appliances

1. On Saturday, April 23, conveniently recycle them for free! QVNA is hosting free e-Cycling from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Carpenter’s Walk at the QVNA parking lot (Front and Carpenter streets across from Shot Tower playground). For details, see www.QVNA.org/LOVEQV.

2. Not around on the 23rd? Here are options for responsible recycling:

• Small electronics (laptops, tablets, and smartphones) Free drop-off at Staples, 1300 Columbus Blvd., 215-551-7543

• Small appliances (TVs, monitors, and kitchen tools) Free drop-off at City eCycling Center, 5101 Grays Ave., Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• At-home pickup (small appliances, TVs, and computer monitors) From microwaves to mini-fridges or that boxy TV in your basement, Retrievr will recycle it responsibly for a modest convenience fee. www.retrievr.com or text PICKUP to 757-703-3824.

Shredding of Confidential Documents

Keeping personal information private is the primary reason for at-home shredding. But did you know that paper shredded at home can’t be recycled? Instead it likely ends up in landfills, where its decomposition adds to dangerous greenhouse gasses.

3 Convenient Options for for Responsible Shredding

1. On Saturday, April 23rd, QVNA will help you responsibly shred your documents for free! 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Carpenter’s Walk at the QVNA parking lot (Front and Carpenter streets). For details, see QVNA.org/LOVEQV.

2. Use Iron Mountain’s locked drop-off bins. For a modest per-pound fee, Iron Mountain transports locked bins to its shredding facility for secure processing. Secure bins can be found at:

• The UPS Store, 614 S. 4th St.

• Staples, 1300 S. Columbus Blvd.

3. Choose to Redact

Instead of shredding to keep your name and address private, use a redacting pen, stamper, or ID protection roller to hide them. The black, permanent ink covers information so you can opt to recycle more paper curbside.

Reduce Your Junk Mail

Did you know that, annually, the average household trashes 13,000 pieces of paper from junk mail and packaging? To make matters worse, 50 percent of junk mail ends up in landfills. But taking steps to responsibly reduce and recycle can make a dent in this tonnage.

The average American receives 41 pounds of junk mail per year, and almost half of that gets recycled. Here are three ways to reduce it:

1. Reduce junk mail by registering online at dmachoice.org ($2 fee)

2. Opt out of credit card and insurance offers at optoutprescreen.com

3. Cancel those unwanted catalogs at catalogchoice.org

Household Batteries

Batteries are hazardous waste. In the U.S., approximately three billion household batteries (180,000 tons) are thrown away each year. But components from common types of batteries can be properly recycled so the metals and chemicals don’t end up in landfills.

The Home Depot Store accepts household batteries for recycling at no charge: alkaline, rechargeable, lithiumion (L-Ion), and nickel cadmium (Ni-Cd). Drop them off at the Customer Service Center, 1651 S. Columbus Blvd.

Who Takes What?

It’s easier to recycle when you know what’s recyclable, who takes what, and where you need to take everything else:

-- Where to Recycle or Donate (Interactive) phila.gov/recycling-donation-finder

-- Philly Recycling 1-Pager to Print Out bit.ly/guide2recycle

-- Where to Take Household Hazardous Waste bit.ly/HouseholdHazardousWasteDropOffs

-- Schedule an At-Home Recycling Pickup retrievr.com

Let us know if you've found this helpful! Email us at WeCare@QVNA.org

Excerpted from the QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER Spring 2022