Sharon Fisher Recycling Coordinator c/o Highway Department 74 Elm Avenue East Selkirk, NY  12158 (518) 439-4955, extension 1510 E-mail:   Hours 8:00 a.m. to noon

TEXTILES/CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR CAN BE REUSED, RECYCLED

A person generates about 35 pounds of textile/clothing waste per year.  Textiles include clothing, sheets, towels and other fabrics.  This textile waste represents 4.5 percent of the entire residential waste stream.

Fortunately, each year, Americans reuse or recycle 2.5 billion pounds of textiles.  Every ton of recycled textile waste creates two person days of semi-skilled labor.  Textile recyclers, who also recycle scraps from textile manufacturers, export 61 percent of their products, thus reducing the U.S. trade deficit.

Here are several ways to recycle your textile waste.   Clean wearable clothing and footwear can be recycled in bins located at the Elm Avenue Park 'n’ Ride, the Rupert Road Transfer Station and appropriately marked green bins at various businesses throughout the town.  Shoes should be tied together if there is a pair.  Throw un-wearable footwear in the trash.  Please put clean and dry clothing in plastic bags and tie shut.  Put the filled bags into the bins.  If left outside the bins, rain and snow will cause the clothing to get wet and be thrown away.  Acceptable items include clothing, shoes, purses, belts, hats, sheets, blankets, and towels.  Do not include pillows, mattresses, foam stuffing, toys and household goods.

Ripped and torn cotton tee shirts, old towels, and old sheets that are not good enough to pass along, can be reused as rags in the Town Highway Garage, local mechanics shop or even in the home mechanics garage. They also make great rags in the home for dusting and cleaning.

Refer to the Donating Reusables Brochure (click here) to locate organizations that may accept your good furniture, mattresses, toys, and other household goods. Or pick up a copy of the brochure at the Town Hall, Town Park or Highway Garage.  The brochure also lists the Town’s special recycling events.

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BATTERY RECYCLING IN TOWN

ALKALINE BATTERIES NO LONGER CONTAIN MERCURY OR CADMIUM. DO NOT RECYCLE. It is okay to throw alkaline batteries into the trash. Alkaline batteries include A, AA, AAA, C, D, 9 volt and 6 volt, lantern.

The Town of Bethlehem will accept for recycling the following:

• Nickel Cadmium (Rechargeable) (Ni-Cd)
• Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) and Nickel Zinc (Ni-Zn)
• Zinc-air and Zinc-carbon
• Lithium and Lithium Ion (camera & computer equipment)
• Silver Oxide
• Button Batteries
• Sealed Lead Acid Batteries (pb) (NO Vehicle lead acid)

You may drop off your batteries for recycling at any one of the following locations:

• DELMAR - Bethlehem Town Hall, Bethlehem Town Park
• SLINGERLANDS - Slingerlands Post Office
• GLENMONT - Radio Shack
• SELKIRK - Bethlehem Highway Garage, Selkirk Post Office
• SOUTH BETHLEHEM - Rupert Road Transfer Station

For a printable flyer, please click here

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NEW OPEN BURNING REGULATIONS GO INTO EFFECT
October 14, 2009

Open burning is regulated by the New York State Statutory and Regulatory Authority - Environmental Conservation Law, 9.19, 6 NYCRR Part 215 – Open Fires. Part 215 will ban open burning to all communities in New York State starting October 14, 2009.

Every time garbage is burned, especially in an uncontrolled fire, it creates air pollution. Smoke from a burn barrel may produce these air pollutants: Carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, halogenated hydrocarbons, dioxins, furans, volatile organic compounds, and heavy metals like lead, arsenic and mercury.

Burn barrel temperatures rarely exceed 500 degrees causing combustion to be incomplete. Pound per pound, garbage burned in a burn barrel gives off twice as many furans, 17 times as much dioxin and 40 times as much ash as a permitted incinerator.

In past generations garbage was burned because there were few alternatives. That practice should be a thing of the past. Garbage then did not contain plastics, foils, chorine bleached paper and other materials. Burning trash in an open pit, burn barrel or a wood stove is unhealthy, un-neighborly and unnecessary.

Instead of burning: Reduce by buying in bulk or demanding less packaging on your favorite products,; Reuse by holding garage sales or donating reusable goods to a non-profit organization; Recycle newspaper, office paper, corrugated and single layer cardboard, magazines, aluminum, metals, acceptable plastics (bottles and plastic bags), books, tires and other items; Compost leaves and branches with the Town or in your backyard with food scraps. Recycle and dispose of waste properly with your hauler or at the town transfer station.

To view questions and answers concerning the New Open Burning Regulations visit this website: http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/58519.html

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DONATE TO HABITAT ReSTORE
454 N. Pearl Street, Albany

A project of the Capital District Habitat for Humanity is to accept donations of new and gently used building materials and home improvement items. These materials and items are sold at the ReStore to raise money for Habitat for Humanity. All donations are tax deductible and pick-ups are available.

The ReStore is always looking for:

Cabinets
Appliances (not older than 10 years and in good condition)
Windows (not single pane)
Doors (not hollow)
Furniture (not upholstered)
Light Fixtures
Vanities

The proceeds from this project fund the Capital District Habitat for Humanity. In two years, the Habitat ReStore has raised over $120,000 and diverted over 85 tons (170,000 pounds) of material from the landfill.

If you have new and gently used building materials and home improvement items that are taking up valuable space – donate by calling 275-6638.

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STOP THROWING AWAY ELECTRONICS

Programs to recycle your televisions, computers and other electronics take place at least once per month in winter and spring.  Household Hazardous Waste Day is held in the Spring and Electronics Collection Days are held in the Fall, both at the Highway Department. Click here for a list of what electronics you can recycle at our Rupert Road Transfer Station at any time.

Best Buy does not charge a fee for recycling most consumer electronics but a $10 fee is charged for recycling computers and small televisions at their stores, however, you receive a gift card in the same amount to use on a future purchase.

Television can contain up to 6 pounds of lead. Cadmium, mercury and PVC plastics are in TVs and other electronics.

CALL THE RECYCLING COORDINATOR at 439-4955, extension 1510, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, Monday to Friday or leave a message.

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PROPER HANDLING OF PROPANE CYLINDERS AND TANKS

Summer is for barbecues and camping.  We light our grills, lanterns, and varied other camping equipment with either the small 16.4 oz. propane or the 20 lb. tank.

The small 16.4 oz. cylinders are a problem because they cannot be refilled.  They are often used for welding and other small appliances including camping equipment.   Take the cylinder outdoors away from any structure, open flame or ignition source, attach the cylinder to an appliance, open the control valve and light the burner(s). Operate the appliance until the flame completely extinguishes. Detach the now EMPTY cylinder and dispose of the EMPTY cylinder in an outdoor trash container on the next normal trash collection.

The larger barbecue grill operates with 20 lb. propane tanks that can be refilled repeatedly for 10 years or more depending on how the tank is protected from foul weather. When ready to dispose of the tank, attach it to the grill or another appliance, light the burners and let it burn until the flame completely extinguishes.  Detach the EMPTY tank and recycle it at the Rupert Road Transfer Station.  The fee for disposal of a 20 lb. propane tank is $3.00.

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COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS (CFLs)

CFL light bulbs save energy and last longer.  The claim is that they use 2/3 less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer, with an average life span of 5 years.

However, did you know that the CFL light bulbs contain trace elements of mercury?  Mercury was used in history to cure ills, process felt fiber, fill teeth, make thermometers, medical equipment, and light bulbs work better.  Today mercury is being phased out in medicine, dentistry and other applications, because it has been discovered that mercury is toxic.

The Town of Bethlehem accepts spent fluorescent and compact fluorescent light bulbs and old thermometers at the Bethlehem Highway Garage daily during normal working hours, 7:00am to 4:30pm. or at Town Hall where a box is located near the Town Clerk's office; please note, this box is for spent compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs only.  We also accept these items during household hazardous waste programs.  Please keep them in a box or bag or their original container.  These items are categorized as “universal waste” which allows the Town to accept these items at all times.

Check out the following links for information such as the amount of mercury emitted from using a standard incandescent light bulb vs. CFLs, precautions one can take, recycling and cleanup if a CFL breaks.

Information on Proper Disposal of Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (Energy Star)
www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (Energy Star)
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls
Mercury Spills, Disposal and Site Cleanup (EPA)
http://www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/index.htm#flourescent

Home Depot Launches CFL Recycling Initiative (article from Recycling Today)

http://www.recyclingtoday.com/news/news.asp?ID=13364

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SEE WHAT STAPLES WILL RECYCLE FOR YOU!

Staples recently unveiled a program to recycle used computers and other office technology.   Although they are targeting businesses this service is also for the general public.  All brands of computer monitors, laptops, printers, faxes and all-in-one copiers will be accepted at any U.S. Staples store, for a fee of $10 per large items.   Staples is working with Amandi Services, one of the country’s most experienced electronics recyclers, who recycles the equipment according to standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (The Town of Bethlehem holds a fall electronic collection each year.)

Stapes also recycles used ink and toner cartridges in the Recycle for Education Program. Donations from the cartridges will go to your designated school.

Cell phones, PDAs, pagers, digital cameras and chargers are recycled through their nonprofit partner Collective Good, who refurbishes or recycles these items and donates a portion of the proceeds to charity.  The Town of Bethlehem accepts cell phones at Town Hall and Highway Garage.

Rechargeable Batteries are also accepted at Staples for recycling with the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation.  Radio Shack and the Town of Bethlehem accept rechargeable batteries also.

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DONATING REUSABLES

Before throwing out reusable items, first check with your local day care facilities, schools, churches and hospitals.  They may need books, magazines, games, toys, furniture, flower pots, clothing or have a thrift shop that supports their programs through sales.

All donated clothing should be in current season, clean, and not torn.  Many organizations do not have large storage areas but are happy to receive your donations.  Please call ahead.

Furniture and appliances must be undamaged and in working condition.  Padded items and mattresses must be clean and not torn, with no holes.  Check with your municipality for proper disposal of broken furniture and non-working appliances.

Additional Information for Reusable Items

Cotton towels and cotton clothing - stained, torn cotton items make great rags for home, the local gas station mechanic or the Bethlehem Highway Department

Eye glasses - Bethlehem Lions Club collects eye and sun glasses for reuse.  Deposit metal and plastic framed glasses in boxes located in the Town Hall, Town Library, Key Banks, Trustco, Charter One, Bank of America, Cohoes Savings Banks, DiNapoli, Hughes and Buenau's Opticians.  The Bethlehem Lions Club also accepts hearing aids.

Hearing aids - will be refurbished and reused if sent in a padded box or bag to Hear Now, 9745 East Hampden Avenue, Denver, CO  80231.  Include your name and address to receive a letter of acknowledgement for tax purposes.  The Bethlehem Lions Club also accepts hearing aids.

Shoe Exchange (if one wears two different sized shoes) - instead of discarding the odd sized shoe, why not investigate The One Shoe Crew, 86 Clavela Avenue, Sacramento, CA  95828.  This organization attempts to match up persons who need different sized left and right shoes.  Another alternative is the National Odd Shoe Exchange, Phoenix, AZ, their telephone number is 602-841-6691.

Styrofoam (PS) peanuts - check with local mail order businesses or Mail Boxes, Etc. listed in the telephone book.  Call the Recycling Coordinator for alternatives in town.

Greeting cards - Shiny, glossy cards can be recycled with magazines and catalogs.  Non-shiny cards and envelopes are recycled with office/home/copy paper.  Metallic cards or cards with glitter on them cannot be recycled.  For more information on other ways to "recycle" greeting cards, see below.

Old Flags - deposit in special boxes at Town Hall, the Library, and after 3:00 p.m. at the American Legion Post on West Poplar Drive, Delmar, for proper disposal.

Yarn, Embroidery thread, and other craft materials - craft and quilt clubs, art classes at schools, senior projects and scout troops may need these items for projects.

Household batteries - put lithium, rechargeable (nickel-cadmium), button, lithium ion, mercury, cadmium and sealed lead acid batteries in boxes at Town Hall, Elm Avenue Park, Highway Department in Selkirk, Rupert Road landfill, Radio Shack stores, Quality Photo and various Post Offices.  All alkaline batteries can go in the trash.

Plastic six-pack rings - recycle in special boxes located at the Town Hall, Elm Avenue Park and the Highway Department in Selkirk.

Records, tapes, and discs - look under the yellow page headline in the telephone book for Buying, Trading and Selling Used Audio Tapes, Records, and Discs.  They must be free of scratches and not warped.

Second hand stores - listed in the yellow pages of the telephone book, see Additional sources for selling or donating reusable clothing and furniture.

For locations, telephone numbers, and items accepted at local organizations, please click here.

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RECYCLING MATERIALS VS. THE USE OF RAW MATERIALS
ALUMINUM
	Recycling aluminum reduces energy use by 90%, enough to run a television for 3 hours.
	Recycling aluminum reduces air pollution by 95%.
PAPER
	Every ton of paper recycled saves 17 trees and 380 gallons of oil.
	Recycling paper reduces air pollution by 74%, water pollution by 35%.
GLASS
	Glass is 100% recyclable and also extends furnace life and reduces energy costs.
	Recycling one glass bottle saves enough energy to light a 100 watt bulb for 4 hours.
	Recycling a ton of glass saves the equivalent of nine gallons of fuel oil.
PLASTIC
	PET (#1) bottles are actually a form of polyester, which makes it easy to recycle bottles into t-shirts, fleece, sweaters and socks.
	HDPE (#2) bottles can be remade into traffic cones, fencing, plastic wood, and other items.
	Plastic makes up 8% of our trash by weight, but is 24% of the volume.
	A plastic bottle can take 500 years to decompose.
STEEL:
	Recycling one pound of steel saves enough energy to light a 60 watt light bulb for 26 hours.
	Recycling steel saves 40% of water used to make steel from ores, reduces air pollution by 86% and reduces water pollution by 76%.
COMPOSTING
	Yard waste makes up approximately 20% of the waste stream.
	Food waste makes up approximately 9% of the waste stream.
	Composting improves the soil, prevents fertilizer runoff, and reduces disposal costs and discards.

REDUCING, REUSING, RECYCLING AND COMPOSTING SAVES……

Energy, landfill space, natural resources and makes less pollution than if raw materials are used.

Visit the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s recycling web site for more information on Reduction, Reuse, Recycling, Composting and the Environment at http://www.nyrecycles.org

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TIPS FOR RECYCLING OLD CARDS AND BOOKS

Cleaning out old cards or books can be either emotional or backbreaking, but the task is inevitable.

Textbooks, over 10 years old, are outdated according to the experts.  As a demonstration, note how fast the world has changed in technology, science, and medicine.  The exception to outdated is historical books, first editions and signed books.  These books may have an intrinsic value that would make it worth one’s while to seek out a used book buyer rather than tossing away.

The Town of Bethlehem has a soft cover book recycling bin at the Rupert Road Transfer Station in South Bethlehem.  A hard cover book can become a coverless soft cover book when one removes the cover.  Bend the front and back covers the wrong way. The inner pages will bulge out so that they can be torn or cut out of the hard cover.  Once this is accomplished, the book is acceptable for recycling with soft cover books at the Rupert Road Transfer Station. Throw the hard covers into the trash.

If you are clearing out a large number of textbooks or encyclopedias, please call the recycling coordinator at 439-4955, extension 1510 for a recycling alternative.

Greeting cards arrive throughout the year and we often have saved too many. Shiny, glossy cards can be recycled with magazines and catalogs.  Non-shiny cards and envelopes are recycled with office/home/copy paper. 

Holiday greeting cards are often too pretty to recycle and one may wish to reuse rather than recycle.  Here are two options for reusing holiday card fronts.  The first option is to reuse the card fronts as gift tags for holiday presents.  Yes, they will be bigger than the tags one buys yet they will be both pretty and unique on the package.  Some card tags may even substitute as a bow or ribbon.  Use light-colored background cards so you can write a message on the front of your tag or a darker card to write the message on the back.

A second option is to use the card front as a postcard.  On the back there will be room to write an address and your message.  Use them as invitations to your holiday party. Send them to friends as a greeting another year. Don’t forget to add the stamp before mailing.

St. Jude's Ranch for Children will once again be accepting all occasion used greeting cards on November 15, 2008.  Please check their web site for more information or to purchase any of the finished cards.

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Town Receives Recycling Award

The Town of Bethlehem was among three government entities to be honored with a 2003 Governor's Waste Reduction and Recycling Program Achievement of Excellence Award.  The other honorees were the Town of Amherst in Erie County and Chautauqua County.

State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Erin Crotty presented the award on October 21 at the 14th annual Recycling Conference held in Albany.  Recycling Coordinator Sharon Fisher accepted the award on behalf of the town.

The award was established to recognize the efforts of businesses, nonprofit organizations, municipalities, environmental groups, and individuals who reduce solid waste through the use of source reduction, reuse, or recycling programs.

In a letter to Supervisor Sheila Fuller, Governor George E. Pataki wrote:  "The Town of Bethlehem has achieved excellence in diverting waste from disposal by implementing waste reduction and recycling initiatives.  Your commitment to waste reduction and recycling goals is commendable and serves as an exemplary model for others to follow."

Between the years 1995 and 2000, Bethlehem's reduction and recycling diversion rates grew from 16 percent to 50 percent.  The town's Compost Facility, the annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection days, and fall Electronics Collection days contributed greatly to the increase.

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