The Ohio County Solid Waste Authority announced its spring cleaning schedule for 2021 and will kick off on March 30, according to The Wheeling Intelligencer. Dumpsters will be placed around the community on the designated day, and anyone can drop their items off. “The following items will not be accepted at the sites: tires, car batteries, large appliances, motor oil, paint and any other potentially hazardous material,” according to the Intelligencer.

If you aren’t sure what is considered recyclable, there are many resources to check. According to the Miller Recycling Corporation, recyclables are categorized into numbers depending on the type of plastic it is. Depending what category the plastic falls into, will tell you if it can or cannot be recycled. Community members have until May 1 to drop their items off.

If you’re looking for an alternative place to take your recyclables, you can head over to the recycling center at the Highlands which is located behind Hobby Lobby. The facility hours are open every day from noon until 5 p.m. for drop offs only. Plastics and aluminum cans are accepted at the site, but metal cans with liners like the ones that hold cat food are prohibited. Cardboard, paper and magazines are also accepted; however, pizza boxes and milk cartons are not.

Recycling is always a good idea, and spring cleaning is the perfect time to start if you haven’t already. Recycling saves room in your trash cans and helps reduce waste. According to ZME science, “The reason why recycling is so important is that it prevents pollution, reduces the need to harvest new raw materials, saves energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, saves money, reduces the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, and allows products to be used to their fullest extent.” There are so many benefits to recycling, and there are many resources available to do so.

Since the WLU campus does not currently offer recycling services, you can take your plastics with you and recycle them at home. If you live on campus, make monthly trips to a recycling site, or if you commute, simply recycle at home. Earth day is coming up, so do your part now. The Earth thanks you.