TALKING TRASH By the Rubble Rousers
UFO’s: part 4 of 6
Are you excited to read an article about ET or Unidentified Flying Objects? To finally have the secrets of Area 51 dispelled? To discover proof that ancient aliens coupled with earthlings and caused Egyptians to be born with pointy heads?
Now that we have your attention, we confess, this article is: UNIDENTIFIED FOUND OBJECTS. Dilemma: The storage room is full of flammable paint cans. The closet is overflowing with outdated cell phones. The hearing aid batteries can’t be sold for their zinc. The computer has been infected by an alien virus and zombies have walked on your favorite Kindle. Do not fear, the Rubble Rousers have come to the rescue. Or at least have some advice about your crap.
BATTERIES: Building One has a battery recycle bin for those small batteries and for hearing aid batteries. Save them up; walk over there, get some exercise. Shh... Don’t repeat this, but we’re asking for a battery receptacle in every building.
ELECTRONICS: Periodically, Coconut Grove holds events for recycling electronics. Check-out announcements in the BID or we will remind you in GroveIsle123.
THESE MATERIALS ARE A CHALLENGE
PAINTS, CHEMICALS, HAZARDOUS WASTE: Take such material to the Loading Dock and the attendant will ensure its disposal. But please, do not store flammable material in the storage area. Residents who store their Louis Vuitton luggage will not be happy if the sprinklers go off.
MEDICINES: : PROTECT OUR WATER SUPPLY. Water pollution from manufacturing runoff is criminal! Please don’t add to the contamination by flushing medicines down the toilet or the drain. California has initiated a DontRushToFlush campaign with Walgreens taking the lead. In our vicinity thus far, only two Walgreens have a drug take-back program: 200 SW. 13th St. and 2700 W. Flagler. Some hospitals have such programs.
Thanks to Bobbi, who experimented with the Miami Dade waste management advice to dissolve pills in water or soda, we learned a lot by researching this issue. Dissolving doesn’t work on all products. If you can’t find a take-back program, here are a few good pointers: Remove drugs from the container and try to dissolve or crush them with a mortar and pestle (we’re sure you can find a substitute.) If that isn’t effective, mix with dirt, kitty litter or used coffee grounds to make the pills or capsules unappealing to kids and pets. Place the mixture in a tightly sealed bag and trash it. Be sure to mark out your name and other personal information before recycling the pill bottle. Oh, for goodness sake: we know this is a dog community and no one has kitties let alone litter.
NEEDLES AND SHARPS: Maintenance is not in favor of getting stuck with a contaminated needle. Here’s the short story: get a sharps container, fill it up, and take it to a Florida Department of Health location. Downtown, 1350 NW 14th St., or West Perrine Health Center, 18255 Homestead Ave.
The full instructions for needles and other hard to dispose of material may be found at Tips: https://www8.miamidade.gov/global/solidwaste/home.page Feedback: If anyone knows of a closer location for drug take-back programs or sharps disposal other than the above locations, please give us a shout out at: GroveIsleCommunications@gmail.com. You may also notify us if you hear about A Zombie apocalypse or of anyone who is hiding a cat.
