What happens when summer is over and you need to get rid of those old air conditioners, extra refrigerators, and freezers? You can’t just put them out on the curb and expect your local waste disposal company to haul them away.
They don’t do that anymore. You can’t just throw them into a landfill. That would add to the pollution we already have in our soil and water supply. In most cases, its best to just recycle them so someone else can get some use out of them. (If you don't know how to recycle these items on your own, give Junk King a call and let them handle it for you). Here is our list of the top 5 summer recyclables.
1. Appliances: The machinery and cooling elements in summertime appliances can be reused again, even if it seems to you that they’re at the end of their road. Those who specialize in appliance recycling know how to get the most out of every part – sometimes repairing and reselling the appliance as is, sometimes breaking it down and selling it piece by piece. When you see all those extra appliances hauled off at the beginning of fall, you should be certain that they are heading to a recycling center of some kind. That way, you make sure the environment is protected.
2. Lawn and Gardening Equipment: If you don’t buy a new lawnmower during the off-season when prices are low, chances are you’re going to use the one you have until summer is over and then recycle it. Come September and October, people will be getting rid of hundreds of lawnmowers and other yard maintenance machinery and recycling it with small engine repair shops. There they will be repaired and resold or stripped for parts.
3. Your Used Car: Most folks don’t think of getting rid of a used car as recycling, but that is exactly what it is. The definition of the word is to “find a new purpose for” and selling your old Chevy to a young kid just starting out in life is exactly that. You could also have it hauled away for parts. Automobile graveyards are pretty common and can be a great place to find parts if you’re doing your own repairs. Some of them even drain and dispose of the fluids properly so the toxic chemicals don’t pollute the soil.
4. Anything Plastic: Plastics do not break down when put into a landfill so they just pile up and take up more space every year. If you’re throwing bottles into a trash bag, please stop. You’re doing incredible damage to the earth every time the trash truck comes. Put them aside in a separate container and recycle them. Do the same with all those plastic toys you throw out at the end of summer. Just because they’re broken doesn’t mean they can’t be useful in another form.
5. Aquatic Beach Equipment: This is a pretty broad category and many items in it could be tossed into the previous four categories we mentioned, but it all gets bunched together when homeowners throw it out. How many times have you seen an old row boat loaded with water skis, inner tubes, beach balls and broken Styrofoam boogy boards? People tend to throw those out in batches. Don’t do it. Summer might be over, but the life span of many of those items can be extended through recycling.