18 - Friday, August 2, 1991 - North Shore News Household hazardous wastes remain a problem IT’S NOT often a day goes by when I don’t receive a phone call or letter from someone wanting to know how they can dispose of paint, oil, anti-freeze, pesticides or some other household hazardous material. Unfortunately, there are very few alternatives to offer at this point. While a number of house- hold hazardous waste drop-off weekends were held around the Greater Vancouver Regional District last year, there are none planned for 1991. This is largely due to the cost involved, which last year ran to over $800,000. The majority of this funding came from the pro- vincial government, but a similar commitment has not been made this year. Municipalities are so far unwill- ing to pick up the fiscal slack, and there matters seem to be resting. In the meantime, local residents can take their hazardous wastes to the provincial government’s haz- ardous waste depot in Surrey, located near Guildford at 15326 - 103A Ave. . The phone number is 660-1177 (long distance charges don’t ap- ply) and the depot is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the fourth Sunday and Monday of each month. To make the half-hour trip - more worthwhile, you might con- sider doing the rounds of your friends and neighbors to collect any hazardous wastes they’re stor- ing in their basements. Accepted at the ‘depot are paints, motor oi], pesticides, pool chemicals, fertilizers, lead-acid batteries and a variety of. other toxic household substances. If you are in question about a particular product, call ahead. Used motor oil, which contains traces of hazardous chemicals generated’ as a result of being heated in_an engine with various additives, can be taken to any - Mohawk station, and staff at the North Shore Recycling Program are currently expioring the possi- bility of establishing a drop-off point for used anti-freeze. However, if you have your cooling system flushed at KalTire, on Brooksbank across from Park and Tilford, your anti-freeze is recycled, brought to its proper pH level and returned to your vehicle in peak condition. Car batteries and propane tanks can be taken to the North Shore Transfer station on Riverside Drive, along with other recyclable waste materials such as corrugated ‘cardboard, appliances and scrap metal. Dried paint tins can be put out with your regular garbage, and you can hang on to other paint leftovers to use for small: jobs or as a primer coat. down the road. REALTY WORLD will cover it all for you, and of course, there is no cost or obligation. Where?? VanCity Savings Credit Union 1290 Marine Dr., North Vancouver When?? Wed. Evening. August 7, 7:30 PM What?? Free information on Mortgages. Realty and Law! How?? ~=PLEASE CONFIRM ATTENDANCE to 877-7000 of 922-8080 (Vera) f Ging a list at questions pertaining to your particular situation. Our panel of experts will be happy to answer tham all! This seminar is a joint venture between REALTY WORLD — Lions Gate and VanCity Savings Credit Union. if you are thinking of investing in reat estate, attend this important seminar first! It could be the best move you'll ever make! You belong with J fi Most of the hazardous waste we generate can be replaced with non-toxic or less toxic substitutes, so the problems of disposal are lessened considerably. For example, use latex or water-based paints whenever possible, and thin them with water. Do your hémework, too, so you buy only as much as you need. Instead of immediately reaching for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, look into organic gardening methods. .Theree are plenty of information sources about non-toxic horticultural techniques, including Geoff eggy Trendell Whittaker ECOINFO Tobiasson’s garden column in the News. Open 7 Days a Week 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Fri. ‘till 9:00 p.m. Restaurants open after Market closing 2 hours Free Parking underground, or we'll give you a market dollar when you park at nearby Impark lots and the 1.C.B.C. parkade. There’s really no need to buy any household cleansers with any of those skull-and-crossbone type warnings on the side. Not only are non-toxic commercia! varieties be- ing produced, but very effective cleansers can be pul together with benign household substances such as water and vinegar. You can scrub spots with club soda, repel moths with bay leaves and ants with lemon juice, put equal amounts of washing soda and borax in your dishwasher (unless you’re cleaning aluminum or teflon pots!) and clean your bathtub with washing soda. If you would like the North Shore Recycling Program’s list of non-toxic alternatives to common household and personal cleansers, Pesticides and insecticides, call 98-GREEN (984-7336) and leave your name, address and postal HOURS INFORMATION: 985-6261 code on the answering machine. If you leave the information on the tape this weekend, the list wil! be mailed to you early next week. The North Shore Recycling Program would also like me to pass on the news that the tele- phone book recycling bins, origi- nally offered only until July 31, can now be used until Aug. 31. The bins are located in the parking lots of Safeway stores across the North Shore, including the ones at Woodward’s Park Royal and in Caulfeild Plaza. Accepted are all colors of tele- phone books, but no magazines or other mixed paper. if you have an environmental question or concern, write Ecoin- fo, c/o North Shore News, 1139 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver, V7M 2FT4, e -*Lonsglale Quay Market will be open for your .. shopping convenience Monday August 5h * : _ @ ~ ¥