By Jennifer Alexander Ruple
Earth Day is a great time to declutter your home. Celebrate on Monday, April 22 by purging, recycling or donating unwanted items that are no longer needed or in use. Not sure where to begin? Sylvania and Lucas County have a variety of resources to help you get started. Whether you tackle a little or a lot, every effort makes a difference.
General Recyclables
A good place to start the cleanup is with general recyclables such as aluminum cans, paper, cardboard, glass bottles, jars, and cartons. If you don’t have a curbside pickup program in place, Lucas County residents may drop off such items in the bins at Kroger, 7545 Sylvania Ave. at King Road.
Food, Personal Care and Cleaning Products
Clean out kitchen cabinets and the pantry. Consider donating extra canned meats, fruits/vegetables, pasta, peanut butter, and pet food. As long as items are unopened and not expired, Sylvania Area Family Services will put them to good use for area families in need. The same goes for personal care items and cleaning products. Drop off donations to 5440 Marshall Rd., Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4 pm.
Unwanted Medications
Check medicine cabinets and bathroom drawers for unused or expired medications. Both the City of Sylvania Police Department, 6635 Maplewood Ave., and the Sylvania Township Police Department, 4420 King Rd., have 24/7 drop boxes in their lobbies to deposit unwanted prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
Clothing, Accessories and Household Items
Sort through closets for items that have not been worn in a while or don’t fit. The American Cancer Society Discovery Shop, located at 6600 Sylvania Ave., accepts men’s and women’s clothing; accessories such as hats, purses, scarves and jewelry; household items such as dishes, glasses, décor, and small appliances. Donations may be dropped off Monday through Friday from 10 am to 4 pm and Saturday from 10 am to noon. For more information, call 419-882-6567.
Paperwork
Old paperwork can build up over the years. Take advantage of the City of Sylvania’s annual Shred Day for Sylvania residents on Saturday, April 20 from 9 am to 1 pm at the administration building, 6730 Monroe St. Enter off Monroe Street, via the west driveway. Fifty pounds, approximately three banker’s boxes or three medium bags of material, will be shredded for free. Electronic waste will also be accepted. Visit cityofsylvania.com for details.
Electronics and Computers
Is outdated technology taking over your office or basement? Frogtown Computers in Sylvania offers recycling and will accept, at no charge, computers, tablets, cell phones, iPods/iPads, video games and systems, stereos, receivers, tape decks, CD players, turntables, VCRs, DVD players, Laserdisc, CDs (music and data), DVDs, Blu-rays and players, keyboards, mice, routers, cable boxes, satellite boxes, projectors, servers, all cables and cords along with flat panel LCD computer monitors. No printers, televisions or small appliances. Call Erik at 419-517-6069 to schedule a drop-off appointment.
Hazardous Waste
And for those hard to get rid of items such as paints, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, pesticides and cleaning chemicals, Lucas County offers hazardous waste disposal for Lucas County residents. The cost is $1.00 per pound for everything except fluorescent bulbs, which are $1.00 per bulb. Latex paint has a fee of $1.00 per can up to a gallon. Flatscreens and box TVs may be recycled for .50 per pound. Electronic waste such as cables, cameras, and laptops may be dropped off at no cost. Residents must register and appointments are available on Thursday and Saturday mornings by calling 419-213-2230.
With a little planning and the assistance of community resources, your home can be cleaner and clutter-free this season with the added benefit of helping the environment.