Celebrate 'America Recycles Day' in Market Square

Alexandria’s Department of Transportation and Environmental Services and Covanta Energy, the owner and operator of the Alexandria/Arlington Resource Recovery Facility, are hosting an event in Market Square on Tuesday in honor of America Recycles Day.

At this free event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., residents and local businesses are invited to learn more about the city’s recycling programs recycling mercury, shredding documents, and composting.

Covanta Energy will distribute $5 gift cards to all city residents and businesses that turn in mercury containing devices of any type; such as thermostats, thermometers, sphygmomanometers, manometers, barometers and hygrometers, as well as liquid mercury.

Residents must provide photo identification in order to verify their address to participate in this program.

This special collection event encourages proper recycling and prevention of these potentially hazardous mercury items from entering the waste stream.  If these devices are simply thrown into household trash or the waste stream, they can break and release mercury into the environment.   

Additionally, Shred Station Express will offer free document destruction services to all Alexandria residents and small businesses for up to five file boxes of documents. 

A “Backyard Composting Workshop” will take place every half hour to learn about simple backyard composting options to minimize yard waste set out for collection.