FAQ
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| Why doesn’t the Wood County Solid Waste District host large Hazardous Waste Collection Days or Scrap Tire Amnesty Days? |
The Wood County Solid Waste District promotes every day solutions for disposal needs. We maintain and print a listing of Wood County businesses who accept various items for disposal on a daily basis. The list of businesses and accepted items is quite extensive and covers all materials that would typically be accepted at a collection event. Some businesses charge a small fee, but several accept items at no cost to the consumer. This allows residents an immediate solution while cleaning a basement or garage and discourages the storage of unsafe materials. For a copy of this guide, you can download a copy or contact our office at 419-354-9297 for a paper copy. |
| Why does the Bowling Green Recycling Center only accept plastic bottles and not other types of plastic containers for recycling? |
The simple answer is that the Recycling Center must supply only what their buyer will purchase. Most companies seeking plastic supplies only want plastic bottles. We tell people that if the top is smaller than the bottom it can be recycled at this facility, so that includes plastic peanut butter/spaghetti sauce containers, laundry detergent bottles, milk jugs, water bottles, etc. The more complicated answer includes the manufacturing differences between these two materials, which affects their recyclability. Plastic bottles require a different type of plastic than plastic containers because they are blown into a mold instead of compressed. Because plastic bottles and plastic containers are different types of plastic, they do not all melt at the same temperature which means that they can not be recycled together or used for the same type of recycled product. While there are markets for plastic containers, they are very few and it is difficult to find someone to purchase this type of material. Confusing the issue even more are the numbers stamped on the bottom of every plastic container. Just because the universal recycling symbol is on a plastic container does not mean that it is always possible to recycle it. Recyclers have been pushing for years to revise/do away with this system because it can often be misleading and discouraging to consumers who want to recycle as much as they can. Examples of Accepted Items Include: Examples of Items Not Accepted Include: |
| How do I do dispose of old or unused paint? |
First, try to buy only what you will need for the project you are working on. If you find that you have purchased too much, try donating it to a local school, club, or organization that might be able to use it. Habitat for Humanity’s Restore will take full containers of latex paint purchased from a paint store! NO LEFTOVERS! Environmental Recycling, located at 527 E. Woodland Circle, Bowling Green, will accept latex and non-latex, old and new paint for proper disposal. This business charges a fee for disposal, so you may want to call first for rates. The contact number is 800-284-9107. OR…Latex paint can be dried with kitty litter and disposed of with your garbage. Please make sure it is dry before disposing! Liquid paint can leak out of trash containers and find its way into storm drains, polluting local waterways. |
| What about empty paint cans? |
| Empty paint cans can be recycled with steel or in the scrap metal bin at the Bowling Green Recycling Center. |
| What can be recycled at the Bowling Green Recycling Center? |
| For a list of items accepted at the Bowling Green Recycling Center and how to prepare them, please visit the “Recycling” page on our website or download a copy of the “Preparing Your Recyclables” brochure. |
| How is the Bowling Green Recycling Center currently handling glass? |
UPDATE!!! The Bowling Green Recycling Center accepts glass at the 24-Hour Drop Off and, until recently, had been processing this glass in a crusher and pulverizer and selling it to the Wood County Landfill where it was being mixed with recycled asphalt and other materials to construct new roads. With funding assistance from the Ohio Department of Natural Resource Division of Recycling and Litter Prevention’s Community Development Grant, the BGRC is now able to load the unprocessed glass into trailers so it can be shipped to Rumpke’s recycling facility in Dayton. This glass can then be recycled into insulation for homes. In the future, after new sorting equipment is installed at Rumpke’s facility, some of the glass will be recycled into new glass bottles. Many across Ohio have been working toward making glass recycling more accessible and we are hopeful that small projects like this one will continue to be a success! |
| If the Bowling Green Recycling Center is still accepting glass, then why can’t Bowling Green residents put it in their curbside collection containers? |
When the City of Bowling Green converted to a comingled collection system, the Bowling Green Recycling Center constructed a new sort line facility to accommodate the mixed materials. The center made the decision to restrict glass from the curbside program because of a concern for safety. A crew works on the sort line and removes a great deal of the recyclables by hand. The center did not want the employees to be exposed to the broken glass pieces coming in. Also, broken glass pieces are difficult to remove and can end up contaminating other materials, such as plastic, making them unrecyclable. Bowling Green residents are encouraged to use their old red curbside bins to haul their glass to the Drop Off located on 1040 N. College Drive, Bowling Green. |
| What happens to all of the newspaper collected at the Bowling Green Recycling Center? |
| Newspaper is baled, loaded on a semi trailer and then shipped to its current market. On average one semi trailer per week is filled with the baled newspaper and shipped to Delphos, Ohio where it is converted into blown insulation. This insulation is labeled “Green Fiber” and can be purchased at Home Depot, Lowe’s Warehouse, and other home improvement stores. |
| How should I dispose of prescriptions, pills, and other MEDICATION? |
As more and more people are prescribed medication, the concern is growing as the need for safe disposal increases. Experts have expressed concerns about trace amounts of medications entering local waterways potentially harming fish and other wildlife; escaping water treatment plants untreated; and ending up in the hands of drug abusers. People are now discouraged from flushing any drugs down the toilet. Instead, residents should seek proper disposal facilities or collection events. In response to successful collection events, the Bowling Green Police Division and the Wood County Sheriff’s Office are partnering with the Wood County Hospital and the Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board to provide permanent drug drop-off collection boxes. Please Note: The following cannot be accepted at these locations: liquids; plastics; glass; bio-hazards; radioactive waste; syringes; drug paraphernalia or other medical waste. LOCATIONS Bowling Green Police Division Wood County Sheriff’s Office Residents may also take medication to Environmental Recycling, located at 527 E. Woodland Circle, Bowling Green, to be properly disposed of. This business charges a fee for disposal, so you may want to call first for rates. The contact number is 800-284-9107. |
| How should various household chemicals and containers be handled and disposed of? |
Be sure to read the label carefully before applying! Only apply the necessary amount needed for the area being treated or cleaned and follow all precautions. When used in excess or improperly, chemicals used in landscaping/gardening or cleaning can cause harm to pets and small children, reduce the amount of beneficial insects or plants in your yard, and wash into local storm drains causing pollution to local waterways. Consider an organic approach and limit the amount of chemicals you use in the first place. Several commercial businesses are offering organic options of their product. Look for these items at local greenhouses, box stores, or online. Be sure to read the label to see what the product includes. Often times, the terms “organic” and “natural” can be a little misleading. Download a copy of our “Living with Hazardous Waste” brochure for alternatives and home recipes. (Link brochure here.) Only purchase what you need! It can be costly to properly dispose of chemicals of this nature. If you cannot use all of a product, consider sharing with a neighbor or friend. Try not to store leftovers for too long. Proper disposal of leftover pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, household cleaners, etc.: Environmental Recycling, located at 527 E. Woodland Circle, Bowling Green, will accept this material for proper disposal. This business charges a fee for disposal, so you may want to call first for rates. The contact number is 800-284-9107. Proper disposal of EMPTY containers that once contained pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, household cleaners: |
| Can batteries go in the trash and are they hazardous? |
Consumers purchase and use billions of different types of batteries throughout the year. Some batteries are easier to recycle than others and some pose a greater risk to the environment than others. Below are some guidelines for common types of batteries. Rechargeable Batteries: Lead-Acid Batteries: Alkaline Batteries: Recycle? For rates and more information please visit the following websites:
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