Waste Diversion And Recycling

Waste diversion is effort by residents and businesses in the community to reduce the amount of recyclable material being thrown away and ultimately wasted by disposal in the landfill. Many materials have uses or resources that can be recaptured through recycling.

Ada County encourages recycling. Please take advantage of local recycling opportunities such as residential curbside recycling. There are many other opportunities within our communities to recycle.

• Look for recycling centers in your workplace. Many companies in Ada County offer on-site recycling within their facilities.
• At community events, look for conveniently located recycle bins and boxes.
• Take your recyclable materials to one of the local recycling centers:

  Western Recycling -1990 South Cole Road, Boise (208) 375-8580.
  Boise Recycling - 4725 Glenwood, Garden City (208) 375-3225.
  Pacific Recycling - 5120 Emerald Street, Boise (208) 375-2131.
  

CURBSIDE RECYCLING

As a waste diversion tactic, curbside recycling is both popular and effective. Every single family residence in Ada County is eligible to participate in the curbside recycling program.

Through the efforts of the County and the Cities of Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Garden City, Kuna and Star, the contracted waste collection companies provide curbside recycling bins to residential customers. This program is supplemented by vast amounts of recyclable materials that are taken directly to the area's recycling centers by people and businesses in Ada County.

LOADING THE BIN

There is a proper way to load recyclable materials into the curbside bins. Here are some simple suggestions to make your recycling efforts as effective as possible. Load only acceptable material.

Use separate paper bags to sort these items in your bin:

• Newspapers (including inserts), magazines and catalogs (glossy pages only).
• Aluminum and Steel (tin) cans
  • Empty cans must be rinsed; labels may remain on cans.
  • Aerosol cans must be empy.
  • Pesticide and chemical cans are prohibited curbside but can be disposed of any household hazardous material mobile collection site.
• Mixed Paper
  • White or pastel paper, non-corrugated boxes (paperboard) with liners removed, phonebooks and junk mail. Neon colored paper is not accepted.
• Plastics
  • All plastics with a number of 1-7 on the bottom of the container. No filmy plastic, grocery bags, vinyl, or Styrofoam will be accepted.
• Corrugated Cardboard
  • Break boxes down to no larger than 4' x 4' and place under or next to bin.
  • For City of Meridian residents and SSC customers:
    • Break boxes down to no larger than 2' x 2' and place under or next to bin.
• Used Motor Oil
  • Recycle up to 2 gallons per household per week.
  • Use transparent 1-gallon plastic jugs.
  • Set containers NEXT to (not inside) recycle bin.
  • Label container "Used Motor Oil".
  • Write "Save" on the container if you want to re-use it.
• For City of Meridian residents and SSC customers:
  • Recycle used motor oil and used cooking oil -up to 2 gallons per household per week.
  • Use transparent 1-gallon plastic jugs.
  • Set containers NEXT to (not inside) recycle bin.
  • Label container "Used Oil".
  • Write "Save" on the container if you want to re-use it.

WHAT DOES NOT GO IN THE BIN

Certain items should not go in the curbside recycling bin.

• No filmy plastic, grocery bags, vinyl, or Styrofoam
• Aluminum (tin) foil. This material has a different makeup than aluminum cans. As with incompatible plastics, incompatible aluminum fouls the recycling process.
• Pizza boxes and foil-lined food containers. Because of the sticky food residue, these items cannot be recycled. They gum up the recycling equipment.
• Paperboard milk cartons or juice cartons. Any paperboard container that has a wax coating cannot be recycled. Like sticky food residue, wax can damage the recycling equipment.
• Glass.

Placing the wrong items in a recycle bin can contaminated an entire load. It turns recyclable resources into trash. Please take care when loading your recycle bin.

WHAT ABOUT GLASS?

In this region, recycling glass is problematic - we are long distances from resources that use glass in their manufacturing processes. Because glass is heavy, transportation costs remove profitability in glass recycling. This is one of the major factors causing glass to be listed as an unacceptable item in the curbside recycling bins.

But glass is a recyclable commodity in the right environment. In Ada County, through the cooperative efforts of the City of Boise, the Ada County Highway District, and BFI Waste Services, there is an opportunity for glass recycling. However, it does not involve your curbside recycling bin or your trashcan. It does, however, involve a little effort on your part.

Through the efforts of the City of Boise, Ada County Highway District, and BFI Waste Services, collection sites have been established around the City. Here is a list of convenient locations where one will find glass recycling collection bins.

• Western Recycling - 1990 South Cole Road, Boise.
• Boise Recycling - 4725 Glenwood, Garden City.
• Pacific Recycling - 5120 Emerald Street, Boise.
• Allied Waste Services - 11101 W. Executive Drive, Boise.
• Albertson's at 16th and State Street, Boise.
• Boise Fire Station #3 - 2202 Gekeler Lane, Boise.
• Boise Fire Station #6 - 6933 W. Franklin Road, Boise.
• Boise Fire Station #8 - 4422 Overland Road, Boise.
• Boise Fire Station #10 - 12065 W. McMillan, Boise.
• Boise Fire Station #12 - 3420 State Hwy. 21, Boise.
• Lander Waste Water Treatment - 790 Lander, Boise.
• New Heritage Theater - 801 Reserve Street, Boise.

For more information regarding glass recycling, contact the Environmental Division of the City of Boise Public Works Department at 384-3901.

USED MOTOR OIL

Used motor oil presents a host of environmental concerns when it comes to disposal. Fortunately, used motor oil has many uses including re-refinement into motor oil, diesel fuel, or bunker fuel, or as an additive with other fuels.
So, how does one dispose of their used motor oil? The answer is simple and convenient.
Ada County's Landfill is setup to accept used motor oil. Residents are encouraged to take their used motor oil (up to 5 gallons) to the Household Hazardous Material Collection Facility located at the landfill. The facility is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 8:00 A.M. until 6:00 P.M. When the facility is closed, the landfill can still accept used motor oil (again, up to 5 gallons). Near the active disposal portion of the landfill, Ada County has a 500-gallon tank for used motor oil. The disadvantage to this option, though, is that one must pour the oil from one's container into the large tank.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Besides the Household Hazardous Material Collection Facility and the 500-gallon tank at the landfill, there are other community resources for disposal of used motor oil. BFI customers, and SSC customers in Meridian, can set out motor oil for collection curbside on their regular trash pick up day. There are some additional restrictions and requirements, however.
There is a limit of 2 gallons. The oil must be in a transparent 1-gallon plastic jug clearly marked "Used Motor Oil." The container must be set next to (not in) the curbside recycle bin. If one wishes to save the plastic container for future use, please write "SAVE" on the container.

In addition to these options, there are convenient locales through the County where residents can take their used motor oil. Jiffy Lube locations throughout Ada County will accept up to 2 gallons of used motor oil. Indian Creek Service in Kuna also accepts used motor oil (up to 2 gallons), as well as the Tates Rents Fairview Avenue location.
Residents should check with their local auto parts stores or other automotive service centers to see if those businesses will also accept used motor oil.

MOTOR OIL FACTS

Did you know that:

• One gallon of motor oil can foul the taste of 1,000,000 gallons of water.
• One pint of oil can cause an oil slick the size of two football fields on a lake.
• Approximately 42 gallons of crude oil are processed to make 2 1/2 quarts of motor oil. But one gallon of used motor oil can be refined to produce an equivalent 2 1/2 quarts of motor oil.

WOOD RECYCLING

Wood, whether in its natural form, such as tree limbs, shrubs or bushes, or in a processed form, such as lumber, takes up considerable space in landfills. By diverting wood from the landfill, the life-span of the landfill can be extended. Each month, Ada County's wood recycling contractor ships roughly 10,000 cubic yards of wood chips away from the landfill. The chips have been used for fuel supplement at electricity co-generation plants, landscaping, compost feedstock, and cattle bedding.

As an incentive to encourage wood separation and recycling, the Board of Ada County Commissioners established a special disposal rate for wood placed in the wood recycling area. For more information about this special rate, please contact the Ada County Solid Waste Management Department at (208) 577-4725, or by e-mail at: thutchinson@adaweb.net.

ACCEPTABLE MATERIAL FOR WOOD RECYCLING

Basically, anything that can be turned into wood chips is acceptable in the wood recycling program. There are, however, a few exceptions. Wood containing chemical preservatives, such as creosote, pentachlorophenol or copper chrome-arsenate, is not acceptable in the wood recycling program.

So, what is acceptable? Shrubs, tree limbs, branches, and stumps (up to 8 feet in diameter); doors, wooden fencing, wooden spools, wood lap siding, old bark, plywood, particle board and sawdust.

What about nails and other fasteners? There is no need to remove nails, screws, hinges, or other metal fasteners (provided they are not large steel fasteners). Small fasteners pass through the grinding and screening equipment and are picked up by powerful magnets. The metals collected from the wood grinding process are shipped to a metals recycling company.

CHRISTMAS TREES

After the Holiday season, Ada County accepts Christmas trees at no charge at the landfill. All decoration and tinsel must be removed from the tree for it to be recyclable. This means that flocked trees must go into the landfill.

GRASSCYCLING

Grasscycling is the practice of leaving clippings on the lawn. Studies have shown that Grasscycling makes lawns greener and healthier. Grass clippings are a valuable source of nitrogen needed for health lawns.

BENEFITS OF GRASSCYCLING

• Greener, thicker, healthier lawns. Grass clippings act as a natural fertilizer, shelter grass roots from the sun and conserve moisture, and reduce weeds and the incidence of certain lawn diseases.
• Save time. Up to 35% of your lawn care time is spent emptying your mower bag, raking up clippings, bagging clippings and dragging them to the curb.
• Save money. You don't have to buy clipping bags, and you don't have to fertilize or water your lawn as often.
• Saves space in the landfill. By grasscycling, the clippings remain on the lawn providing the benefit of a greener, healthier lawn rather than taking up space in the landfill.

GRASSCYCLING TIPS

• Any lawn mower will work, but a mulching mower works best.
• Don't remove more than 1 inch or 1/3 of the grass blade. Removing too much reduces nutrient reserves, causing stress and browning.
• Keep mower blades sharp. Sharp blades cut the clippings into smaller pieces. This also provides a cleaner cut and prevents tearing and browning the grass tips.
• Mow frequently. By frequently, this means every 5 to 6 days, or 5 times a month during the growing season. This increases grass shoot density which inhibits weed growth. Although you may be mowing more often, by not bagging the clippings, you are still saving time.
• Try not to mow when the grass is too wet. Wet grass clumps and does not scatter easily. If you have clumps, trying mowing a second time to further break up the clumps, or bag the clippings for compost or mulch.

TIPS FOR A HEALTHIER LAWN

• Fertilize while the grass is actively growing (spring and fall). Fall fertilizing is important for developing strong root systems capable of supporting vigorous leaf growth.
• Use slow-release or water insoluble fertilizer. Fertilizers that release nitrogen too quickly cause rapid leaf growth at the expense of healthy stem and root growth. Over fertilizing can pose a threat to ground and surface water.
• Infrequent, long irrigation cycles promote deep root zones more capable of withstanding drought conditions. Water at night or early morning to reduce water loss to evaporation.

Contrary to the myth, clippings do not promote thatch build up. Clippings break down quickly, often in a matter of a few weeks. Thatch is the build up of roots and stems and is commonly the result of over-fertilizing and excessive watering.
Grass clippings are 80% water. Once cut, the clippings wither, shrink and sift down to the ground. Microorganisms break down the clippings making the nutrients in the clippings available to the lawn.
Grass clippings conserve water by shading the soil from the sun.
Ada County encourages residents to grasscycle. This promotes healthier lawns, uses less water, and decreases the amount of waste being disposed in the landfill. For more information, contact your local Extension Office.

For more information on waste diversion and recycling, please contact:
Ada County Solid Waste Management Department at (208) 577-4725,
Boise City Public Works Department - Environmental Division at (208) 384-3901,
Allied Waste Services at (208) 345-1265, or
Sanitary Services Company at (208) 888-3999.