The big sort continues
We’ve been talking the last few weeks about getting your house spruced up for spring – inside and out.
We’ve found elbow grease, Dawn soap and water to be just about the best cleaners out there for most jobs. Although, if you’ve been reading this column for any time, you’ll note that we’re also very fond of 30 Second Cleaner for things like dirt and light mold on your siding, porches and decks.
While a good scrub is always a great thing – often this time of year, before you can get to much washing and scrubbing, many of us have to get rid of stuff.
A free day at the transfer station or even (dumpsters placed in certain cities) are or will be available for many Grays Harbor residents in the next weeks and months. Just having that day or days on the calendar should get us motivated to go through stuff.
However, what if you are living in rural Grays Harbor or a city that doesn’t sponsor a Cleanup? Or perhaps you do live in one of the cities but other plans or priorities prevent you from making it to the dump during the free time?
NO FREE DAY FOR YOU?
If that’s you, we suggest you still do a spring cleanup of your environs, sorting things into give away, fix up, recycle, hazardous waste and throw away piles.
So many things are recyclable now that you may not have that much to actually dump. For a review:
RECYCLABLES – You may be surprised how much of your “junk” is recyclable. You can take most of your recyclables to the LeMay Transfer Station and get rid of them free of charge.
Clean, dry newspapers, magazines and flattened cardboard are all recyclable, as are aluminum and tin cans (no scrap metal or paint cans) and glass jars (not plate glass or drinkware). You can also bring your plastic milk jugs and your mixed paper – things like junk mail to the recycling bins, which are located to the right as you enter the transfer station.
Clean motor oil can also be recycled here free of charge.
HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITY – Old batteries, cleaning supplies, old paint, solvents, pesticides and the like are all accepted at the hazardous waste facility free of charge.
This is great news, because that way you can get rid of these things that have likely been sitting on your garage shelves for years and they can be appropriately dealt with so as not to pollute our landfills with dangerous chemicals. However, the only tricky thing about our local hazardous waste facility is that the hours are quite restricted.
It is open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday and Saturday of each month.
Making one of those days also your free dump day would be a great plan and save a trip. If not, at least mark one of those days on the calendar to combine a hazardous waste drop with other errands. (Hint: Today is the first Saturday and last chance of the month. If you read your paper early you have time to take your hazardous waste in today!)
E-CYCLE FOR ENVIRONMENT
Another source of “junk” in these high-tech days is all our old electronic equipment. The LeMay Transfer Station as well as Goodwill and Staples stores in Aberdeen offer free disposal of old computer monitors, screens, towers, televisions, etc.
The E-cycle area at the transfer station is available at all times for drop off, but if you require assistance come between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays.
GET PAID FOR YOUR ALUMINUM
Yes, if you have a few aluminum cans you can drop them off at the recycling center. However, if you would like, you can actually get some money for those cans at the LeMay Transfer Station. However, the cans need to have any paper labels removed.
The pay is 30 cents per pound with 31 cents per pound if you have 100 pounds or more. Just go through the scales for assistance.
SHREDDING SERVICES
Do you have some sensitive documents you want to dispose of but don’t want to place in the recycling bin?
The transfer station now offers that service. For $5.50 per banker’s box all the way up to $38.90 for a 90 gallon cart – and everything in between, an individual or business can bring paper to the transfer station to be shredded.
“Just come up to the office and we can help you. And, if you need more regular shredding services, we can help you set that up,” said Tracy Elders, office lead.
Before shredding, the materials are all kept in a locked area, she said. Only cash and checks are accepted for this service.
MIGHT BE WORTH YOUR MONEY!
Again, if you don’t happen to be someone who has a Spring Cleanup voucher, you still might consider going to the dump once this spring anyway.
Once you’ve recycled, donated, given away or sold the stuff you no longer want you may not have that much left.
If what you have is 200 pounds or less, it costs just $10.46, which includes tax to get rid of it. (And it’s just $101 for a ton – that’s 2,000 pounds!) Overall, not a bad investment to lighten your load, get your spring and summer started off fresh and even make your neighbors smile!
BULKY ITEMS DISPOSAL
Some large items, such as tires and refrigerators, have an additional fee associated with their disposal after weighing. You may want to stop by a used appliance store first to see if you can recycle it there.
For more information, check online at www.graysharbor.lemayinc.com or give LeMay a call at (360) 533-1251.
THE CLEANUP DATES
ABERDEEN residents have their choice of days during the month of April. A city-issued voucher accompanied by a driver’s license, is the ticket to a trip to the LeMay Transfer Station any day the transfer site is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturdays.
COSMOPOLIS resident’s day is April 14. Come with city-issued voucher.
OCEAN SHORES residents will have dumpsters brought to their city on April 24-26...
MCCLEARY residents will have dumpsters brought to their city on April 28.
TOKELAND-SHOALWATER BAY residents will have dumpsters placed in their town beginning April 30.
WESTPORT vouchers can be picked up by city residents soon at City Hall for a free dump day in May. Licenses are also required
HOQUIAM residents are scheduled for June 6-9. A city-issued voucher plus a driver’s license is the ticket to the free dump day.
Dave Murnen and Pat Beaty are construction specialists at NeighborWorks® of Grays Harbor County, where Murnen is the executive director. This is a non-profit organization committed to creating safe and affordable housing opportunities for all residents of Grays Harbor County.
Do you have questions about home repair, renting, remodeling or becoming a homeowner or one of our contractors? We have rehab loan funds at tailored rates! Call us at 533-7828, write us or visit us at 710 E. Market St. in Aberdeen.
