Seattle Sun Newspaper - Vol. 7, Issue 4, April 2003

Copyright 2003 Seattle Sun. Please feel free to use the article and photos below in your research. Be sure to quote the Seattle Sun as your source.

AROUND THE HOME:

Spring cleaning the yearly event

By MATT MAURY

About this time each year, our family enters into the spring cleaning ritual. Not only are there the general cleaning projects wash the windows, clean the gutters (yes, again!), prep the garden for the new plantings there are also the closets and the garage to reorganize. If your home is like ours, at the end of the day (I WISH it were only one day!) there are a variety of items that have to go, but, for numerous reasons, can not just be put out with the trash.

There always are the no longer needed household items, the usable clothing and the still-working small appliances that can be given to Goodwill Industries, the Salvation Army, St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores, local clothing banks or local charities. The real challenge is in finding what to do with the hazardous and/or cumbersome items that are no longer needed. Here are some ideas:

· Hazardous Household Items

There is a central North End facility for dropping off hazardous household waste. It is located near Aurora Avenue and N 130th Street. Open Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., homeowners should call 296-4692 to schedule a drop-off time and get specific driving directions. This facility can handle: adhesives; aerosols; auto batteries; auto fluids (oil, gas, etc.); fluorescent light bulbs; glues; mercury-filled items; paints and stains; pesticides; propane tanks (five gallons max.); solvents and thinners; toxic cleaners.

Items should be kept in their original containers, if at all possible.

· Appliances

If you bought a new appliance and put the old one in the corner of the garage until you could figure out what to do with it, here are some helpful hints. If it still works, probably someone can use it. In good condition, one of the major charities may take it.

If it doesn't work, it can be taken to one of two North End locations. King County's transfer station at N. 165th Street and Meridian Avenue N. will take washers, dryers, stoves, dishwashers, compactors, etc., for $10 each. Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, dehumidifiers and other items containing freon or fluorocarbon coolants can be dropped off for a $24 fee. For additional information about the County's residential waste reduction program, call 296-4466.

Seattle's transfer station in Wallingford charges $15.70 to receive appliances without coolants and $20.70 for appliances containing coolants. Additional information from the City is available at 684-3000 select "0" from the options to talk with a specialist.

· Computers and Televisions

With people upgrading their equipment all the time, the question constantly comes up: "What do I do with my outdated technology?" The answer is found in the "Computer Recovery Project." It is a network of local computer repair and resale shops, nonprofit groups and retailers that will recycle this equipment. Find out more about this award-winning recycling program and where to drop off your old, unused computers, monitors, televisions, computer keyboards, cell phones, etc., by visiting the project's Web site. The easiest way to get there is to type "Computer Recovery Project" "Seattle" into your favorite Internet search engine. Not only will the equipment (or components, if broken) be able to be reused, it will be handled in an environmentally friendly way.