I Love A Clean San Diego Provides Springtime Waste Reduction Resources to San Diego County Residents ILACSD and the County of San Diego share a reminder about the free WasteFreeSD.org database and recycling best practices to benefit residents this Spring Cleaning season
SAN DIEGO COUNTY (April 8, 2023) – With the spring season comes spring cleaning, I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD) and the County of San Diego remind residents of the free WasteFreeSD.org database and proper recycling practices. “Spring is a great time to downsize or part with items that you don’t use, have outgrown or simply don’t need,” says Steve Weihe, a Recycling Specialist with the County of San Diego. “Consider passing on usable items to neighbors through Facebook’s Buy Nothing or Marketplace groups, NextDoor, Offer Up, Craigslist or your local thrift store. You’ll be helping your neighbors as well as keeping items out of the landfill.”
WasteFreeSD.org Database and Hotline As residents conduct their spring cleaning, they are encouraged to use I Love A Clean San Diego’s free online database, WasteFreeSD.org, which provides information on thousands of repair, recycling, and donation centers throughout the region. The free database also includes a wealth of options on how to properly dispose of or recycle unwanted items. The R1 Earth Hotline is available for residents who have questions or may need help locating a center near them. Hours run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. Incorporated city residents, please call 1-800-237-2583; unincorporated residents may call 1-877-713-2784. “During Spring cleaning, we encourage residents to practice reuse, reduce, donate, and repair to limit the number of items that end up in the landfill,” said Ann Marie Sack, “WasteFreeSD.org is a wonderful and free resource for residents to help them achieve their zero-waste journey this season.” Recycling Best Practices As families continue their spring cleaning, having items to recycle is expected, but placing the correct items in the blue bin is important. Proper recycling practices ensure items remain valuable, make it through the recycling process, and reduce the hazard to workers and machinery at recycling facilities (MRFs). There are four main groups of materials that San Diego county residents can place in their blue recycling bins:
- Paper, cardboard, and cartons
- Plastic bottles and containers
- Glass Bottles and Jars
- Metal and aluminum cans and foil
Plastic bags, bubble wrap, and plastic mailers are recyclable but should NEVER be placed in your blue bins. These materials can be returned to participating retailers or reused.
Recycle Right in three simple steps:
- EMPTY-No or minimal food residue left
- DRY-No liquids remaining. Avoid getting items wet by closing bin lids
- LOOSE-Recyclables must be placed in the bin loose, not bagged
Film plastics like grocery bags and bread bags; tanglers like textiles and hoses; and household hazardous waste (HHW) such as batteries, fluorescent bulbs, and electronics DO NOT belong in the blue bin.
Residents can also find recycling guides on the County’s website and learn about sustainable practices by registering for one of I Love A Clean San Diego’s workshops and webinars at cleansd.org/events.
About I Love A Clean San Diego
Celebrating 70 years in 2024, I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD) is an environmental nonprofit supporting residents and businesses of San Diego County. ILACSD was founded in 1954 as the San Diego War Against Litter Committee (WALC), in the 1970s, “I Love A Clean San Diego” became the slogan for the organization’s anti-litter campaign, and in 1980, it became the organization’s name. Over the last seven decades, ILACSD has since evolved into the nonprofit it is today, providing programs that go far beyond litter cleanups and serve as environmental catalysts. Our programs inspire and empower San Diegans to be environmental and waste-free living leaders in their communities. For more information or to volunteer, visit CleanSD.org or call (619) 291-0103. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
