Recycle Hazardous Materials, Electronics & Get Free Shredding

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Arlington County makes it surprisingly easy to responsibly dispose of the things that don’t belong in your trash can. The Arlington Environmental Collection and Recycling Event (E-CARE) is a biannual event at which residents can safely dispose of household hazardous materials and old electronics — things like paint, automotive fluids, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, smoke detectors, computers, printers, and televisions. Accepted items also include bicycles, which are donated to the nonprofit Bikes for the World. The events are free, open to Arlington residents with proof of residency, and held rain or shine. Check arlingtonva.us/E-CARE for the next scheduled date — events typically fall in spring and fall each year.

If you miss an E-CARE event, you’re not out of luck. Hazardous household materials can be dropped off year-round at the county’s dedicated recycling center at 530 31st Street S., near Crystal City — a particularly convenient option for South Arlington residents. And for paper shredding, Arlington County hosts free shredding events on the first Saturday of every month from 8 a.m. to noon at the Earth Products Yard at 4300 29th Street S. — also in South Arlington, just off Columbia Pike. Each resident can take up to boxes or bags of materials to be shredded. It’s one of the most practical and underused services the county provides, and knocking it off your list on the first Saturday of any month feels genuinely satisfying. Full details for all recycling and disposal programs at the County website.