June 2013 -

Great Advise for all on recycling. Heloise answers letters only in her King Features Syndicate column. Here is her submission to http://www.dispatch.com.

Dear Readers: Did you know that, in 1989, federal law required that the plastic six-pack beverage rings be 100 percent photodegradable? In other words, sunlight should break down the plastic into small pieces over time (about 60 to 120 days, depending on the season and weather conditions). But that depends on where you live and whether the plastic is fully exposed to sun and heat. If it is buried in the landfill, I don’t think it will deteriorate in two months or less.

It is always better to recycle the plastic rings or cut them into pieces before depositing them in the trash. This prevents small birds and animals from getting caught in them and either becoming seriously injured or dying. Continue reading “Plastic rings should be recycled or cut up”

LARGO — Is Big Brother going to be snooping on your garbage?

Probably not, but Largo residents will soon get new recycling bins that will have microchips embedded in them. This will allow the city to keep track of where the bins are and whether they’re being used — or not being used.

That practice has caused controversy in places like Cleveland, where these devices enable officials to issue $100 fines to Clevelanders who don’t recycle enough of their trash.

However, the high-tech recycling carts caused no controversy when they were recently introduced in Tampa and Hillsborough County. There are no fines involved, and officials talk of using the microchips merely as a tool to improve customer service. Continue reading “Largo launches high-tech recycling bins”