4th of July is an exciting celebration, full of fireworks, music, and time spent running around the yard with family. It’s a time to celebrate freedom, and in the moment, few of us are thinking about our waste. But like most major holidays, 4th of July can rack up a heavy weight when it comes to waste management, especially if it all simply goes in your trash. Recycling after 4th of July will help to protect the nation you celebrate so eagerly and ensure that you can enjoy the holiday without worrying about your environmental impact.
Place a Recycling Bin In the Midst of the Party
The truth is, if your recycling bin is on the other side of the house and the trash can is where all the people are, very few of your guests are likely to recycle. Make sure you have a big recycling bin placed here you expect all the people to be. You may also want to put a sign on the bin marking it as the recycling bin and listing acceptable recyclable materials to be dumped there. Some guests don’t recycle simply because they don’t feel confident about what can and can’t be recycled. Fortunately, with single stream recycling, more materials are acceptable than ever.
Know How to Dispose of Tricky Items
4th of July involves several items that you might not know how to dispose of once the party’s over. Fireworks and lighter fluid are big ones. Fireworks, for instance, should be soaked in water for at least 15 minutes and overnight if they’re larger. Double wrap them in plastic bags before throwing them away. They should never be dropped in the recycling bin because they may leak chemicals that could ruin the batch. Charcoal should also have 48 hours to cool before it’s disposed of to ensure it doesn’t ignite anything in the trash. Lighter fluid can be dropped off at a Re-Use and Recycle Drop-Off Center, on the other hand. Food scraps can be composted so as not to contaminate your recycling or weigh down your trash.
Utilize Reusable Containers, etc.
You can cut down on your waste this 4th of July by using reusable utensils, containers, and plates. Washing dishes after a big event can be tedious, but your family might be willing to pitch in. Inevitably, it will help reduce your carbon footprint, and you won’t have to worry about buying a bunch of paper plates and plastic forks and spoons for the next event. The more multi-use items you can bring into play, the better for your 4th of July celebration and those to come in the long run.
Another way to have a greener 4th of July is to be sure you have a good, single stream recycling service. If you live outside of Bryan-College Station limits in Brazos Valley, Brazos Valley Trash Valet & Recycling has you covered with complimentary recycling service. Contact us today for more information.
