Make Trash Disposal Easier With This Free Perk At Most Home Improvement Stores

Disposing of household trash has become a complicated process as more consumers try to do the right thing for a sustainable planet. All of the sorting that's necessary before you can dispose of your recyclables means having a system for separating aluminum from glass, pizza boxes from newspapers, and packing peanuts from cellulose packaging. And what about those used laptop batteries and frayed power cables that you know you shouldn't just throw in the trash? This is made even more complicated when your local trash collection service doesn't include recycling — or only collects it on a limited basis and with extra fees. A number of retailers, including home improvement stores, supermarkets, and big box stores, have stepped in with a free perk that makes trash disposal easier. 

You may have noticed bins at the front of stores, in the customer service area, or the loading dock marked with the universal recycling symbol and walked right past them. But those bins could make it a lot easier to recycle those common trash items that shouldn't go in the garbage. In many localities, plastic grocery bags can't be put in your home recycling bin, but supermarkets have had bins for used plastic bags out front for years. H-E-B, a Texas-based chain, has collected 58 million pounds of plastic since 2004. Home improvement stores take a wider range of items, allowing you to recycle things your municipality or supermarket won't take. Before you head to your home improvement store with your recyclables, check the store's website or stop by to find out what its rules are about what it is willing and able to recycle. Don't spoil it for everyone by trying to sneak in a couple of items that aren't on the list.

Not having to make a special trip to the recycling center is the main benefit of being able to take your recyclables to a local store that you visit on a regular basis. It's also a boon for people living in communities without recycling programs, or recycling centers with limited or inconvenient hours. Office supply and electronics retailers like Best Buy recycle everything from old video consoles to printers. But home Improvement stores like Lowe's take an assortment of items including CFL lightbulbs and rechargeable batteries that no one else takes, and they may also recycle your old power tool batteries. Big box stores with garden centers might give you the option to recycle your plastic nursery pots.

Some home improvement stores ask you to sort your recyclables while others take mixed bags of things like paper and plastic bottles. These recycling centers are provided as a free perk for the convenience of the store's customers, so don't expect your local store to work miracles. Not everything can be recycled or reused, and you may find that some common items shouldn't be put in your recycling. Home Depot, for instance, will only take rechargeable batteries up to 11 pounds that are under 300 watt hours. Many Harbor Freight stores have battery recycling programs, and Ace Hardware participates in the PaintCare program where customers can drop off some types of paint in the original can and with the original labels. Again, check with your local home improvement store to verify exactly which items it is able to take.