Ask the expert

I know that my yogurt and cottage cheese tubs are now recyclable in the blue cart, but what about the lids?

The lids do not belong in the blue recycling cart. They should go in the garbage. The shape of the lids causes them to slide in between pieces of newspaper and they end up as contaminants at the paper mill.

Can I recycle my empty bleach jugs?

Yes. Just give them a quick rinse and put them in your blue recycling cart. Empty household cleaning product containers can be recycled along with everything else.

I hear the term “household hazardous waste” a lot, but how do I know if a product falls into that category?

Household hazardous waste (HHW) is any waste generated from the use of a product containing a hazardous material that, if misused or improperly disposed of, could pose a threat to human health or the environment. Read product labels carefully and look for the words danger, warning or caution to determine if they are HHW.

Most household hazardous wastes are generated from one of the following categories:

• Automotive products: oil, antifreeze, gasoline, brake and transmission fluid.

• Household cleaners: oven cleaners, drain cleaners, disinfectants, laundry products.

• Paints and solvents: latex and oil base paint, thinners, varnishes, wood preservatives.

• Poisons and pesticides: fungicides, insecticides, herbicides and rodenticides.

If you live in Clark County or one of its cities, you may dispose of unwanted household hazardous waste products at an HHW collection site or events at no charge. For information, call 397-6118 ext. 4352 or visit www.recyclinga-z.com.

This column is provided by Clark County Environmental Services. Please send questions to sally.fisher@clark.wa.gov.