BETHLEHEM – The Town of Bethlehem has partnered with the Bethlehem Central School District Green Team, the Delmar Farmer’s Market, Grassroot Givers, and Up-Stitch to host the third annual “Spring Recycle Fest” on Saturday, April 8, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Elm Avenue Park at 261 Elm Ave. in Delmar.
The Spring Recycle Fest will feature collection of the following categories of items for recycling or, where possible, reuse: clothing and textiles; books; electronics (no computer monitors this year due to increased costs); appliances; scrap metal; secure documents and paper (no more than three medium-sized boxes per household); knitting and sewing supplies (new category); and plastic toys (new category).
“We are excited to be partnering with Up-Stitch this year, a new local non-profit effort to collect and reuse sewing and knitting supplies, such as: fabrics of all types; yarn and thread; sewing notions and tools; knitting needles and crochet hooks; sewing patterns; and more,” said Bethlehem Recycling Coordinator Dan Lilkas-Rain.
“And we are also now collecting used hard plastic toys of all kinds for reuse, thanks to the American Clothing Recycling Company. Those toys that are not able to be reused will be recycled for their plastic,” he said. “Though the Town does request that people please do NOT bring very small toys or their parts — such as Lego pieces or small action figures — or heavily soiled or badly damaged toys.”
Large plastic toys with cracks or missing pieces are fine to recycle, said Lilkas-Rain, but toys that have been shattered, melted or contaminated with oil or paint will not be accepted.
The event is open to all area residents — with the exception of secure document shredding, which will be restricted to Bethlehem and Bethlehem CSD residents with ID — and it is free, except for the Electronics/Appliances/Scrap metals category, which requires a $5 donation to the Bethlehem Central School District Environmental Programs.
(Other monetary donations will also be gratefully accepted by the non-profit partners, including Grassroot Givers and Up-Stitch. Those participating in the Secure Document Shredding are asked to please consider a paper product or a monetary donation to the Bethlehem Food Pantry.)
The event is a collaboration between the Town of Bethlehem; Bethlehem Central School District Green Team; the Delmar Farmer’s Market; Grassroot Givers; Up-Stitch, American Clothing Company; JGS Recycling; Cascade Recovery and 3N Document Destruction.
For more information about Town of Bethlehem recycling visit townofbethlehem.org/recycling or contact Lilkas-Rain via email at [email protected] or by phone at 439- 4955 ext. 1510.
For BCSD Green Team details visit bethlehemschools.org/green-team/.
