Spring is the perfect time to go through the nooks and crannies of your home and get rid of any clutter. Here are some ways you can do so responsibly in SLO County!

1. Reuse first: When you declutter, instead of reaching for your trash bins, ask how that item could have another life. Could that old pasta sauce jar become a storage container? Could that old cleaner bottle be rinsed out and become a mister for your house plants? 

And if you really need an item out of your space, donate usable items to a local thrift store instead of tossing them. 

2. When recycling, keep it loose! When cleaning and recycling old containers, keep them loose in your recycling bin. Trash bags, clear bags and liners are not accepted in your curbside recycling bin, and they are not necessary to use in your recycling bin. Recycle properly by: 

• Emptying, cleaning and drying all recyclables
• Trashing nozzles or pumps from spray bottles, as they contain a metal spring that cannot be recycled with plastic or glass.  
• Remove metal lids from glass jars and place separately and loosely in your recycle bin. 

3.  Mattresses: Did you know that California makes it easier than ever to get rid of an old mattress? Mattress producers in the state must comply with an extended producer responsibility (EPR) law, that requires them to create easy end-of-life disposal options for mattresses. There is a small consumer recycling fee on each new mattress, which helps to fund a program that makes disposal easy and free for residents. There are a few ways that you can take advantage of this program in SLO County!

The best option for a mattress is reuse, if the mattress is in a usable condition. If a mattress is truly at the end of its life, take advantage of one of these recycling options: 

1. Retailer take back— If you bought a new mattress and are having it delivered, the retailer of your new mattress is required by law to pick up and recycle your old mattress at no additional cost. Ask them to!
2. Drop-off— There are a number of convenient mattress recycling drop-off locations across SLO County. To find one and learn more, use bye bye mattress's locator tool: https://byebyemattress.com/find-a-facility/

4. Go through your fridge, and throw inedible food in the green bin! When you clear forgotten and expired food out of your fridge and pantry, please put it in your green bin. Any leftovers, moldy food, rotten food can go into the green bin, and will be turned into organic compost by a local facility. 

5. Empty camping gas cylinders or propane tanks stacked up in the garage? Return them and opt for refillable! Empty 20 lb propane tanks, use for grilling, are exchangeable at the retailer you bought them from, and empty refillable 1 lb propane cylinders, used for camp stoves, are exchangable at retailers found here: https://www.refuelyourfun.org/. Propane tanks and gas canisters are accepted at one of our six Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) facilities throughout the county. Never put propane/gas cylinders, tanks, canisters in any of your curbside bins, they have caused fires at our local recycling facilities. 

6. Take old hazardous waste to a local facility. Maybe you have a broken TV, old cans of paint, or expired household chemicals sitting around the house. Please don't put these items in your curbside bins: instead, take them to one of our HHW facilities at no cost. 

Need clarity on recycling? Visit our Recycling Guide, or print out our Quick Recycling Guide to keep on hand!