Let's Talk Trash, edited by Laura Dickerson

June 20, 2002, Column from the Lexington Minuteman

This biweekly column tries to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about recycling, composting and the town's solid waste: program.

Q: How do I dispose of smoke detectors? Because of the radioactive element, I can't dispose of them in the hazardous waste collection.

A: The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Web site says to go ahead and put it in the trash. If you don't like the thought of it, First Alert (if that's the brand you used - it's the most common company) will take them back, recycle the components, and send the radioactive Americium to a specific landfill for that kind of stuff. You have to call them first to get an account number, because their post-Sept. 11 policy is to throw out unopened any packages. that arrive without an account number as part of the address. Their phone number is 630851-7330, and you have to go through a lot of menu choices to get to customer service. You then send it to First Alert, attn.: consumer affairs, 3920 Enterprise Court, Aurora, IL 60504 (and put on your account number).

The Post Office is willing to ship it, but they don't take packages with batteries, so you have to remove that first.

Q: 1 have a photocopy machine and laser printer, and need to know how to recycle the toner cartridges.

Q: How do I recycle documents that have been shredded?

A: With the paper. If you are worried about little shreds blowing down your street on recycling day, put the shredded paper at the bottom of the paper bin under heavy items like magazines and newspapers. If you use one bin for paper and containers, the paper must be in a brown grocery bag, and you do the same thing - put the shreds under the heavier paper so that they don't blow away.

Reminders: At the end of the school year, many students clean out their binders and backpacks. Please remember that any paper can be recycled. If there are spiral notebooks, the metal has to go out with the trash, but the pages should go into the bin.

In picnic season, try to use washable plates and cups and utensils instead of generating lots of trash every time you eat outdoors.