Recyclops is a company available in some areas that picks up hard to recycle items directly from your home. For $15/month, they collect light bulbs, batteries, plastic films, and clothing/textiles. Clamshells are an additional $1.50/month, and Styrofoam is an extra $5/month.

Batteries

Help batteries last longer by keeping them in cool places and turning off gadgets when not in use.

Start buying rechargeable batteries instead of single-use alkaline, especially if you go through a lot with video game controller, toys, remotes, and other gadgets. Rechargeable batteries cost more up front, but can be recharged hundreds of times, lasting years and saving you money overall in addition to creating less landfill waste. The replacement process can be gradual too–I have waited for existing alkaline batteries to die before replacing them with rechargeable, one device at a time.

I like this EBL Battery Charger and there are plenty of rechargeable battery options like these from Amazon. Unplug the charger when not in use or batteries are fully charged to save on electricity.

Where to recycle batteries in Salt Lake City

Alkaline batteries

Alkaline batteries are considered safe to throw away, so keeping them out of the landfill is difficult. The only drop-off locations I have been able to find are Staples, IKEA, Salt Lake Valley Landfill hazardous waste, and Recycle Utah in Park City. Batteries Plus is another option but they will charge you $2 per pound.

Rechargeable batteries

Rechargeable batteries—Lithium-Ion (L-Ion), Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH), Small Sealed Lead Acid (SLA)—can be dropped off for recycling at Staples, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Batteries Plus (which charges a fee), and Recycle Utah in Park City.

More local options include the Murray City Public Works (they accept alkaline batteries but will just throw them away; the others get recycled) and the Salt Lake Valley Landfill hazardous waste.

Car batteries & lead acid batteries

Under Utah state law, it is illegal to dispose of car and lead acid batteries; you must recycle them. In addition, any retailer selling these batteries is require to offer recycling services for them. Therefore any auto parts store will accept car batteries for recycling. You can also drop them off at Murray City Public Works and the Salt Lake Valley Landfill hazardous waste.

Read more about reducing your battery waste here.

Light bulbs

If you haven’t already, switch to LED bulbs, the most environmentally-friendly light bulbs available. They use 75-90% less energy and last up to 25-30 times longer than incandescent lighting, and five times longer than CFL. They also don’t contain any hazardous chemicals. Rocky Mountain Power offers special pricing on LED bulbs at participating retailers, click here for details.

Where to recycle light bulbs in Salt Lake City

LED

LED bulbs can be recycled at Home Depot, Lowes, and IKEA.

Incandescent and Halogen

Incandescent (regular old school bulbs) and halogen bulbs are rarely recycled because they have small amounts of glass, metal, and wire that are difficult to separate. Halogen glass is thicker than other glass so it can contaminate loads if thrown in with regular glass recycling. The only drop-off recycling option I know is Batteries Plus, which recycles all types of bulbs, but they charge a fee, usually around $0.35/bulb. You could spend money on a mail-in program like EZ on the Earth, or they will have to go in the trash. (Another reason to transition to LED bulbs.)

CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light)

CFL bulbs & tubes contain mercury so don’t throw them in your trash.

Recycle fluorescent bulbs at IKEA and Home Depot. Fluorescent tubes need to be disposed of in hazardous waste at the Salt Lake Valley or Trans-Jordan landfills. Drop-off are also available at some Salt Lake County Health Department and county library locations.

Christmas lights

String Christmas lights are accepted at scrap metal recyclers.

Writing utensils

Where to recycle writing utensils in Salt Lake City

Staples accepts crayons, pens, pencils, and markers for recycling.

Musical instruments

Where to donate musical instruments in Salt Lake City

Used musical instruments of all kinds can be donated to the Salt Lake Academy of Music.

Recycling musical instruments

If you have a brass instrument that is beyond repair, take it to a scrap metal recycler.