Recycling & Waste Reduction

Please keep in mind that recycling is your least preferred option. Reducing the generation of waste so there is no waste left to recycle would be the ideal. Make it your goal. Also keep in mind the concept of "cycle" in the term "recycle". For there to be a complete cycle, the things you send to be recycled must come back to you. So, look for recycled content products whenever you buy, otherwise you are not truly recycling.

Reduce

  • Packaging:
    • Buy food in large quantities or in bulk. Grains and cereal are especially easy to purchase this way. Avoiding small individual packages of any product or consumable greatly reduces the amount of paper or boxboard that you buy and throw away. Of course, don't buy large quantities if the food would spoil before it is used
    • Vote with your dollars. When comparing products of different manufacturers, consider giving preference to those that use less packaging
  • Unwanted Mail: fight back! You can reduce the amount of junk mail you receive

Reuse

Find uses for things you discard. Consult your phone directory to see if your community has a reuse center. Other options for reuse are as indicated in the following:

Substitute Reusable Items for Consumables

Use Towels, Rags & Sponges for Most Cleaning & Wipe-Ups

Keep a large enough supply of rags and wash cloths so you will always have some clean ones. Even if you need to buy a supply of small towels and wash cloths to get yourself started, the initial cost will be quickly offset by your reduced need to buy disposable substitutes, and you might think they work better than disposables. (See the CalRecycle Reduce Waste page.) If you frequently need a damp rag or wash cloth close at hand, just find an ordinary old plastic bottle or old spray bottle and fill it with your own home-made cleaning solution. You could mix up a mild cleaner of one part vinegar to seven parts water, or something much stronger with diluted alcohol, bleach, or ammonia. (Do not mix bleach and ammonia. The combination creates an asphyxiating gas.)

Use Cloth Napkins

Buy a large supply of inexpensive cotton napkins to use every day, the initial cost will be quickly offset by your reduced need to buy disposable paper substitutes. See the Reuse Products page.

Reusable Shopping Bags

Are you still collecting bags every time you shop? Stop! Invest in a set of reusable shopping bags. They hold more, they make carrying heavy loads much easier, they hold larger volumes than most plastic bags, they protect glass jars and bottles better, they last seemingly forever (expect well over 15 years from cloth grocery bags), they save energy and resources, and they prevent litter. Even if you recycle your paper or plastic grocery bags, you consume some energy and resources.

Plastic Food Storage Containers

Collect and use plastic food storage containers. More durable than plastic bags, leak less, reduce odors in the refrigerator, keep moths out of dry goods in the cupboard.

Rechargeable Batteries

Invest in rechargeable batteries and a battery charger. You can run almost anything, from flashlights to digital cameras, with rechargeable batteries. In the long run it is cheaper and better for the environment. For more information on recycling and proper disposal of batteries, please visit CalRecycle's Batteries home page.

Recycle

Get Ready to Recycle - set up your household to make recycling easy. Each residential customer in Lynwood is provided 2 carts for collection. The Green Cart is for tree trimmings and grass clippings only. The Grey cart is for trash and recyclables. Don't worry, the content on the Gray cart is taken to a Materials Recovery Facility to be sorted and recycled.

Beverage Container Recycling

People are using way more bottles and cans than ever before. Recycling them creates new products, conserves natural resources, reduces energy use, and curbs carbon emissions in the sky. Sure beats letting them spend the next few centuries just sitting in a landfill. Fortunately, doing the right thing is easy.

How you can help:

  • Participate in the City's curbside recycling program. Call City of Lynwood Public Works Department for more information at 310-603-0220, ext. 500
  • Drop off beverage containers at Recycling Centers and receive cash. Consumers pay California Redemption Value (CRV) when they purchase beverages from a retailer, and receive CRV refunds when they redeem the containers at a recycling center
    • Most beverages packaged in aluminum, glass, plastic and bi-metal containers are eligible for CRV; notable exceptions are milk, wine and distilled spirits, which are not included in the CRV program
    • CRV is $0.05 for each beverage container less than 24 ounces and $0.10 for each container 24 ounce or greater

Visit the CalRecycle Beverage Container Recycling Centers page to find locations of Recycling Centers in Lynwood.