Posted by What’s white, rigid and takes up a lot of space in garbage carts and landfills?
The answer: Block foam. The solution: A free collection event for Clark County residents from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., this Saturday, Feb. 6, at the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center, 3510 SE 164th Ave.
Recycling block foam – Styrofoam™ – packaging from electronics and other purchases is a great way to save space in your garbage cart and in landfills. Free collection events make it easy. Another block foam collection event is scheduled to take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, March 6, in the Yellow 1 parking lot at Clark College, on the west side of Fort Vancouver Way.
Since Clark County and the City of Vancouver began the monthly block foam collections in September 2008, residents here have recycled 18,750 pounds of block foam. Continuation of the block foam program depends upon the level of public participation and quality of materials collected.
Total Reclaim, a Portland recycling business, takes the collected foam, grinds it to powder, mixes and melts it with special additives, and churns out pellets that maintain the same quality as virgin plastic.
The free collection events can accept polystyrene and polypropylene block foam. The foam can be any color, but it must be clean and bagged or boxed. No plastic-wrapped yellow urethane foam, hot tub covers or packing peanuts can be accepted. Only Washington-licensed cars may participate. All participants must remain on site until staff have examined and accepted the material; unacceptable material will be returned to participants for disposal.
The program also allows businesses to bring in small loads, no bigger than what will fit into a passenger or cargo van, at no charge. Larger business loads should be taken to Total Reclaim’s site at 5805 NE Columbia Blvd., Portland, during the company’s regular weekday business hours.
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