Join the Hopewell Valley Green Team for recycling collection events over the next two weekends at local farmers markets. This Saturday, October 26, from 9am to 1pm, the first recycling event will be held at the Pennington Farmers Market at Rosedale Mills, 101 Route 31 North, Pennington, NJ. Another event will follow on Sunday, November 3, at the at the Hopewell Borough Farmers Market on the grassy area between PNC Bank and Hopewell Village Square shopping plaza on East Broad Street, Hopewell Borough, also from 9am to 1pm.
Items Collected:
- Plastic bags and film packaging (see list below)
- Usable art supplies
- Cell phones and select other electronics (see list below)
- Plastic nursery pots and trays are not longer being accepted
- Brita water filters
- Empty / used dental care products (toothpaste tubs with caps on, toothbrushes, floss containers, etc)
- Empty stick deodorant containers
- Single-use razors
- Wine bottle corks (real only, not synthetic)
- Button cell batteries (from hearing aids, calculators, etc) – please put tape over the positive ends
- Used tennis balls and baseballs
Acceptable plastic bags and film packaging: bread bags, bubble wrap, case wrap, cereal box liners, dry cleaning bags, grocery bags, ice bags, newspaper sleeves, plastic wrap around many products (e.g., around paper towels, napkins, etc.), plastic shipping envelopes, produce bags, salt bags, wood pellet bags, zip locking bags. Plastics must be clean, dry, and free of food and organic residue. It is not necessary to peel or cut off paper labels before dropping off your bags/film. Acceptable types of this plastic film can stretch – it isn’t “crunchy.” The collected material will go to NexTrex.
Acceptable art supplies: unopened/unused or partially-used art materials with substantial creative potential remaining are being collected for HomeFront’s therapeutic ArtSpace program. The top priority items we’re looking for: paint brushes (all sizes), acrylic paint, canvases, acrylic painting paper, watercolor paper, cardstock (black, white and assorted colors), craft glue guns & glue sticks, paint pens, gel pens Sharpies, Crayola Model Magic & clay, linoleum blocks & carving tools, coloring books (children & adult), word search & crossword books. Limited quantities of other art supplies may also be accepted.
Acceptable phones and other electronics: any make and model of smart/cell phones, hotspots, tablets, MP3 players, cellular cameras, wireless modems and Bluetooth devices; associated chargers, batteries and accessories. Once filled, the collection box will go to The Wireless Alliance and the value of the devices will benefit the Pennington Farmers Market.
Regarding plastic flower pots and trays: the farmer who reused the items no longer needs them. While we are exploring other options, ask your go-to nursery/garden center if they will take back pots or trays.
A few of the local nurseries that will:
- Lowe’s takes back and recycles pots and cases from plants purchased at their store.
- Bountiful Gardens takes back its trays.
- Stony Brook Gardens takes back pots/trays from plants purchased at their center, after inspecting the pots/trays to be sure they are theirs and can be re-used.
For more information, please visit https://hopewellvalleygreenteam.org/recycling/recycling-events/
