ReStore Newsletter:

How many of the ReStore's customers are aware that we get almost all of our paint and chemicals (cleaners, varnishes, etc.) from the Metro's Hazardous Waste and Paint Recycling Programs?   At Metro South's facility in Oregon City, John Brandsberg recently turned over the hazardous waste reuse and recycling duties, after four years, to Tim Aspgren. Both believe strongly in seeing that everything that can be reused is forwarded to a variety of community groups and schools.   Everything is first opened and carefully examined. Many things are tested and identified in their lab. The ReStore is not the only worthy cause to benefit from Metro's community-mindedness.  For example, non-toxic fertilizers are distributed to horticulture clubs, a tree farmer, and community gardens. Vegetable oil currently is given out to about 10 different groups. Cleaners and automotive products go to the Gleaners of Clackamas, a non-profit that gives out food.

        Tim & John

"We are getting more and more stuff," an obviously pleased Tim stated. "Everyone is trying to take care of the environment."

At the Metro South facility, there is a special room for pesticides. Some of what they get is really corrosive and flammable, requiring great care in handling. Most they try to burn, but the dangerous stuff is taken to a special landfill where it's buried. Not only do they take old medical syringes, but they also take unused pills. They also have big drums filled with batteries, separated by type. NiCads are shipped to Pennsylvania, site of a unique facility that separates out the various components for recycling.

Paint is a whole topic in itself. Metro is renowned for its latex paint program, having collected and recycled more than a million gallons since 1992. When people bring in unopened or almost full cans, the ReStore is one of the regular beneficiaries--along with schools and others.    Otherwise, leftover paint is sorted by color and then blended in batches, fliltered and tested, and then poured into one-gallon cans and five-gallon pails for re-sale.   When you buy and use recycled paint, instead of new, you are saving about 100 kilowatt hours of energy, conserving water used in manufacture of paint, preventing pollution from the mining and extraction of the raw materials, and reducing the need for landfill space.

Be sure to visit the Metro website for more information, including dates and locations for the Hazardous Waste Roundups that take place all over the Portland area throughout the year.

Thank you Metro. Thank you John and Tim and everyone else at the Metro Hazardous Waste Program for all that you do. We Love You!!