If you're like me, you pick up nail polish, makeup, and toiletries on a regular basis. And you probably don't use all of it. A shampoo/conditioner that just doesn't cut it, a nail polish color you use once that just doesn't hold up, etc. I have a feeling a lot of us keep that stuff around because we're not sure what to do with it. But there are environmentally and socially conscious ways to dispose of used toiletries and sundries.
Nail Polish:
Don't throw nail polish in the trash. Nail polish is flammable and considered a household hazardous waste. Check with your town's waste management for their household hazardous waste collection location. Or you can go to Earth911.com and search for where to dispose of hazardous materials by type and zip code.
In Austin you can take your nail polish (as well as batteries, paint, nail polish remover, and other household hazardous waste) to their hazardous household waste disposal center at 2514 Business Center Drive.
There are also some clever ways to use colors you don't like before you dispose of them.
Toiletries
Again, don't just throw toiletries (shampoo, soaps, body wash, etc.) in the trash. And definitely don't just dump them down the drain! Most bottles are recyclable, but you can do something better with shampoo, body wash, face wash, etc., that didn't work out for you. Chances are your local homeless shelter would be happy to take your partially-used toiletries for their patrons to use. Shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, mouthwash, etc, will get used. And if you have travel-size bottles they'll take those too. Of particular importance are feminine hygiene products. If you're like me and take birth control medicine that keeps you from needing to use the rest of your single-wrapped tampons or pads, take those to the shelter. The women greatly need them. They're also usually looking for brushes and combs for their patrons to use.
In Austin, you can take gently used/partially used hygienic products at the ARCH Front Desk at 500 E 7th St. They're often looking for textiles (sheets, towels, etc.), small appliances and furniture, snacks, bus passes, gift cards for shops and bowling alleys, and lots of other stuff that you may have around and not have a use for.
Makeup
Makeup containers are typically recyclable. The trick is, though, that they need to be empty to be effectively recycled. Some shops, like The Body Shop, take back their own containers for safe recycling. Others, like Origins, will take any empty makeup or toiletry containers to recycle. Rinse out and wipe out any containers and take them to a place like Origins! If you have stuff that's unopened, you can donate it to women's shelters or career shelters. This is a great guide on how to dispose of makeup effectively and tips for the kind of containers that you should try to buy to ensure future recycling. And this guide outlines different makeup companies and their recycling policies.
You can also go here to check out a great guide on how to clean out ("depot") eyeshadow and blush for recycling.
ek
Nail Polish:
Don't throw nail polish in the trash. Nail polish is flammable and considered a household hazardous waste. Check with your town's waste management for their household hazardous waste collection location. Or you can go to Earth911.com and search for where to dispose of hazardous materials by type and zip code.
In Austin you can take your nail polish (as well as batteries, paint, nail polish remover, and other household hazardous waste) to their hazardous household waste disposal center at 2514 Business Center Drive.
There are also some clever ways to use colors you don't like before you dispose of them.
- paint clear polish (basecoat, topcoast, etc.) over the metal bases of toiletries to keep them from rusting
- paint clear polish over silver belt buckles to keep them shiny and clean
- dip the ends of your shoelaces into polish to keep them from unraveling
- use nail polish to mark your keys by painting different colors on the heads of the keys to tell them all apart
Toiletries
Again, don't just throw toiletries (shampoo, soaps, body wash, etc.) in the trash. And definitely don't just dump them down the drain! Most bottles are recyclable, but you can do something better with shampoo, body wash, face wash, etc., that didn't work out for you. Chances are your local homeless shelter would be happy to take your partially-used toiletries for their patrons to use. Shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, mouthwash, etc, will get used. And if you have travel-size bottles they'll take those too. Of particular importance are feminine hygiene products. If you're like me and take birth control medicine that keeps you from needing to use the rest of your single-wrapped tampons or pads, take those to the shelter. The women greatly need them. They're also usually looking for brushes and combs for their patrons to use.
In Austin, you can take gently used/partially used hygienic products at the ARCH Front Desk at 500 E 7th St. They're often looking for textiles (sheets, towels, etc.), small appliances and furniture, snacks, bus passes, gift cards for shops and bowling alleys, and lots of other stuff that you may have around and not have a use for.
Makeup
Makeup containers are typically recyclable. The trick is, though, that they need to be empty to be effectively recycled. Some shops, like The Body Shop, take back their own containers for safe recycling. Others, like Origins, will take any empty makeup or toiletry containers to recycle. Rinse out and wipe out any containers and take them to a place like Origins! If you have stuff that's unopened, you can donate it to women's shelters or career shelters. This is a great guide on how to dispose of makeup effectively and tips for the kind of containers that you should try to buy to ensure future recycling. And this guide outlines different makeup companies and their recycling policies.
You can also go here to check out a great guide on how to clean out ("depot") eyeshadow and blush for recycling.
ek
Write a comment
Post a Comment