At UUCW, we care so much for the earth – and one of the ways we can do that is by recycling. And now, recycling can help us raise funds for our beloved church. The Stewardship and Earth Ministry Teams are partnering with local recyclers for a half-day drive that will keep items out of landfills, save water and energy, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Save your scrap metal, clothing and household linens, and single-use plastic bags. Bring them to the church parking lot on Saturday, October 15th from 8 am to noon.
NOTE: Please do not drop items off before or after the drive.
Volunteers are needed — sign up today to help collect, sort, and deliver items to the recyclers.
WIRE RECYCLING
Can I recycle cords and holiday lights? Yes, electrical wires are recyclable. Most electrical wires are made of copper and aluminum materials, which are considered highly recyclable materials. You don’t need to take the wire out of the plastic coating. Most people have cords lying around with no idea where they came from or what they go to. Others will have broken phone charging cables or are upgrading to LED holiday lights and need a place to take their old string lights. Save these things for the metal drive.
METAL RECYCLING
We will be working with Cimco Recycling Metals to supply the collection containers for the scrap metal drive. See the list of items accepted.
TEXTILE RECYCLING
We are recycling the textiles with Milwaukee Textile Recycling. Textiles must be clean and dry. Please bring them in plastic bags.
- Clothing – Wearable items are best, but clothing with small tears or light staining is acceptable.
Shirts, blouses, suits, skirts, pants, shorts, dresses, jackets, coats, t-shirts and athletic clothing, underwear, bras, slips, pajamas, paired socks - Household Textiles – NOTE: NO rugs or pillows (pillow fill cannot be recycled)
Sheets, bedspreads, blankets, curtains, drapes, towels, washcloths, dish towels
More about textile recycling: An estimated 100 billion garments are produced annually, worldwide. According to the EPA, around 17 million tons of textiles went to landfills in 2018 alone, accounting for approximately 6% of solid waste. Once in landfills, natural fibers can take years to decompose, and may release methane and CO2 gas into the atmosphere. Synthetic textiles do not decompose, and in the landfill, they can release toxic substances into groundwater and surrounding soil. Learn more here.
PLASTIC BAG/FILM RECYCLING
We will be collecting the following plastic items as a way to protect the environment. We will work with NexTrex, a company that recycles them into outdoor benches like we have at the east entrance of the church. If we collect 500 lbs or 40,500 plastic bags and plastic film, then we can add another bench to our collection. Either way this is a great way for UUCW to promote a great way to dispose of all those plastics that the city recycling doesn’t want.
For more information, contact Vicki Banville, Church Administrator.