I had a old neighbor that worked for the city in one of those areas and DOESNT recycle.

exFIB, the fact that I later observed none of my neighbors with recycle bins led me to believe that they all came to the same conclusion as I did; that the truck was not recycling. Perhaps I'll look into it again, thanks for the tip.

I never said I was going to tattle on my neighbors. I asked if it was something we are required to do. The city gave us bins and we pay for it to be picked up. So I thought it was required by law. Anyone who goes to the city landfill and looks around will see there is a lot of items placed in the garbage which should be recycled. So its not just my neighbors, its everyone's. And I am not perfect, I am sure I've thrown out many a thing that was OK to put in the recycle bin.

Or, how about just talking to your neighbor?

Also Walker and Janesvillean,

Do we really need to start tattling on our neighbors because they don't recycle? I think it's sad that you know your neighbors trash habits so well. There's nothing wrong with being green, but honestly don't you think your time can be better spent some other way trying to get your neighbor fined?

"After observing on multiple occasions that the trash pickup was dumping everything in the same truck, I stoped trying"

Many trash companies (including WM, who services Rock Township) use what called a One-Pass truck. Even though the same truck picks up all trash and recyclables, they get sorted into different bins. The bins are all right next to each other, it could look like he is throwing it all away, but chances are it is still being recycled.

Businesses are required by law to organize recycling programs, but I know of many that have never made an effort to put them in place. I think the city should make some sort of effort to at least encourage businesses to recycle as they produce quite a bit more waste than the average residence.

I'd like to recycle larger electronic items. Is there anywhere else to take them besides CRT Processing. CRT doesn't have good hours for people who work first shift. No Saturday hours makes it difficult to get there.

janesvillean, yes flourescents may be long-term cheaper and use less energy (nothing substantial in the grand scheme of things), and yes they need to be recycled, but there is still the issue of broken bulbs creating a mercury hazard.

I actually tried and gave up on recycling at the curb, but this is in Rock township. I moved in, called about getting a recycle box which was supposed to be dropped off at my curb; it never came after several retries, so I just left recyclbles in a cardboard box well apart from the trash. After observing on multiple occasions that the trash pickup was dumping everything in the same truck, I stoped trying.

Walker, call the city services center at 755-3110. They will probably give the residents a reminder.
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This is a good point. At this time Janesville relies on voluntary compliance with the state recycling law to keep materials out of the landfill. In these times of declining revenue it may be worth considering stepping up enforcement. City ordinance 8.64.250 provides for a fine of $100 to $1000 per daily instance for violations of the recycling rules (enacted proviso to state law).
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/aw/wm/rec...

I saw the comment about Janesville Recycling and it has been a mess but to be fair they have really been doing a lot of great work lately in cleaning up and making the place more user friendly and I even heard something about a grand re-opening in October

it is weird too. i have 2 messages on this old cell . i cannot dial to get them cause the phone is no longer in service. it is the same number as new phone. does anybody know who to get these "messages"

Thanks everyone for posting where we can take some of these things.
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I have a question about curbside though, we have neighbors who never recycle. You can hear the glass and cans going into the trash picker upper. I thought it was a law you had to recycle glass and cans that food comes in. Newspaper also. These neighbors have not left their recycle bin out in a long time. Its all in their regular garbage.

Fluorescents will be mandatory in the entire industrialized world within 10 years. They have begun phasing out incandescents in Australia and participating EU countries. They use that much less energy (and are over time cheaper to use); they just need to be recycled instead of thrown away.
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There are surprising places to recycle cell phones and printer ink cartridges. There's a drop box for cartridges (not sure who sponsors it) at the Hedberg Public Library downstairs entrance (as well as the Optimists Eyeglass box). Sears had a cell phone recycling drop box when I was there. We have used a web form for our printer cartridges to print out a free Fed Ex return slip. We put the old cartridge in the new box and take it to be shipped to the manufacturer.

I've stashed my old cell phones in various places for use in emergencies (all cell phones can dial 911).

Thank you for pointing out where to recycle flourescent bulbs, that was something I had been meaning to look into. And to think some people want to mandate flourescents.

Good idea hannah. I just found my next alarm clock.

PC Recycler Inc applauds the efforts of anyone willing to support the electronics recycling efforts. We need all the help we can get to keep electronics out of the land fill. Check out our future blog on the electronics recycling industry – www.pcrecycler.net

I use one of my old cell phones as an alarm clock. I dont use my regular cell as one because I would never remember to take it with me when I left the room. Then I dont have a big ugly alarm clock there either.

If you've even been to Janesville Recycling Center and seen the mess down there it's amazing they can figure out what the heck they are recycling--plastic 1, 2, cardboard or glass. It looks like a hurricane went through there. If someone is sorting out that mess by hand, it must cost more to sort it than the value of recycled materials are worth.

Staples also does desktop electronic recycling. Recycling fee is $10 for each CPU, Printer or Monitor.

Staples now extends the $3 rewards credit to include KODAK brand ink cartridges. The rewards credit also applies to Dell, HP, Lexmark TONER cartridges.

Smaller items like keyboard and mouses, cell phones, and batteries are recycled at no charge.