I Love A Clean San Diego Provides Spring Cleaning and Recycling Resources to San Diego County Residents

I Love A Clean San Diego Provides Spring Cleaning and Recycling Resources to San Diego County Residents
The WasteFreeSD.org database has thousands of recycling, donation, and repair centers throughout the region.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY (April 26, 2023) – As the spring cleaning season begins, 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.

I Love A Clean San Diego encourages residents to practice reuse, reduce, donate, and repair to limit the number of items that end up in the landfill. Residents can use I Love A Clean San Diego’s free online database, WasteFreeSD.org, which provides information on thousands of centers throughout the region.  The free database includes a wealth of options on how to properly dispose of or recycle unwanted items as well as donation and repair centers. The R1 Earth Hotline is also 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 thru Friday.  Incorporated city residents please call 1-800-237-2583, and unincorporated residents may call 1-877-713-2784.

“By using the database to locate centers for proper disposal and recycling of unwanted items, individuals will be contributing to fewer materials reaching the landfill while making a significant, positive impact on the environment,” said Ann Marie Sack, Director of Community Engagement. “WasteFreeSD.org is also home to our blog which contains resources to help inspire residents to reuse or repair items.”

Although many common household items can be recycled, 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: This includes newspapers and magazines; flattened cardboard; containers made of paper; and milk, juice, and soup cartons. Items like tissues and napkins are not recyclable but can be placed in your organic waste bin (green cart).

Plastic bottles and containers: Items include plastic bottles, cups, tubs & containers; foam blocks; and clamshells containers. Plastic caps must be left on plastic bottles to make it through the recycling process.

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.

Glass bottles and jars: Any color glass jar or bottle. Window glass, ceramics, or drinking glasses do not belong in the blue bin. Consider donating usable drinking glasses.

Metal and aluminum cans and foil: Steel and aluminum; bottles and cans; empty aerosol cans; aluminum trays and foil. Paint cans do not belong in the blue bin unless the paint is dry and container is empty.

“When San Diego county residents Recycle Right, everyone wins,” says Steve Weihe, Recycling Specialist for the County of San Diego.  “The MRF receives cleaner, more valuable material which results in lower operating costs due to less contamination. Our paper, cardboard and cartons, glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles and containers, and metal and aluminum cans and foil then become new products that manufacturers want and need.  Keeping items like plastic bags, clothing, hoses, liquids and electronic waste out of the blue bin is essential.”

To Recycle Right, residents should follow three simple steps:

• EMPTY-No or minimal food residue left
• DRY-No liquids remaining
• LOOSE-Recyclables must be placed in the bin loose, not bagged

Film plastics like grocery bags and bread bags; tanglers like textiles and hoses; organic waste; and household hazardous waste (HHW) such as batteries, fluorescent bulbs, and electronics DO NOT belong in the blue bin.

Residents can 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

Founded in 1954, I Love A Clean San Diego is an environmental nonprofit supporting residents and businesses of San Diego County through youth and adult education, and local action through impactful volunteer events and workshops. As San Diego’s most influential advocate for sustainability, I Love A Clean San Diego’s programs are an environmental catalyst, awakening passion and inspiring action to empower everyone to be leaders in conservation and waste-free living. Our community is passion in action to maintain and improve the health of the home we love. For more information, to volunteer or donate, visit CleanSD.org or call (619) 291-0103. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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