Calgary, AB,
29
April
2016
|
09:45
America/Denver

Spring cleaning made simple: find the right place for your unwanted stuff from around the house, yard and garage

Calgary, AB – With the warm weather this year, Calgarians have a head start on cleaning out the house, yard and garage. All the spring cleaning means there are plenty of unwanted items to get rid of.

“We're here to help Calgarians get in the habit of finding other options for their unwanted items, instead of throwing them into the garbage,” says Sharon Howland, leader of program management at Waste & Recycling Services.

“By disposing of materials the right way, it will keep unnecessary items out of the landfill and give a second life to materials that can be reused, recycled or composted,” she adds.

Until May 29, all three City of Calgary landfills will waive fees for residential loads of leaves, branches, plants and other yard waste. The yard waste will be composted at the sites, turning it back into a useful resource that helps new plants grow.

Before you leave for the landfill, make sure your load only contains yard waste like leaves, branches and plants. No sod – it can’t be composted at City sites. Charges will apply if the load contains other items.

“Besides yard waste, there are other common items cluttering up Calgarians’ yards and garages,” says Howland. “Residents often have household hazardous waste such as propane tanks, camping fuel canisters, old paint and automotive chemicals – these items should not go in your regular garbage or recycling.”

Instead, take them to a household hazardous waste drop-off for safe disposal – there are nine locations around the city.

Whether you’re cleaning out closets, office storage or the kitchen, check out calgary.ca/whatgoeswhere to find local donation, recycling and safe disposal options for hundreds of household items. For example, old computers, TVs and printers can go to an electronics recycling depot – there are several locations around the city.

“Once you’re done cleaning around the house, yard and garage, community cleanups are a convenient option to take your unwanted stuff,” says Howland. “There are over 100 community cleanups taking place throughout the city from now until September.” Visit the community cleanup schedule to find an event in your neighborhood.

For more information on all of the above programs, visit calgary.ca/springcleaning.

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