#RecycleRightNY Campaign Materials

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This month’s resources are dedicated to educating the public about proper recycling and disposal practices for common household medical items as we move into the month of March. To spread the message, please use the resources below (Facebook/ Instagram posts, Twitter tweets, newsletter article and other resources) through the month of March via your social media platforms, newsletters, etc. Modify the order for the month as necessary to fit your needs. For more content visit the Recycle Right NY webpage. 

High resolution images formatted for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and newsletters can be downloaded by going to NYS DEC's Recycle Right NY Flickr album. For instructions, scroll down to the heading "Free images" below. To download any images from the body of this email, right click the image and then choose "Save As".

Week 1 Campaign Materials (Personal Protective Equipment-PPE)

Facebook/Instagram: Used masks and gloves belong in the trash! Do not litter or put them in your recycling bin. Doing so pollutes the environment, contaminates recycling streams, and puts others at risk. Waste reduction tip: Learn how to make a homemade reusable mask (t.ly/uigv). #RecycleRightNY

Twitter: Used masks and gloves belong in the trash! Do not litter or put them in your recycling bin. Doing so pollutes the environment, contaminates recycling streams, and puts others at risk. Waste reduction tip: Learn how to make a homemade reusable mask (t.ly/uigv). #RecycleRightNY

Week 2 Campaign Materials (Needles & Syringes- Sharps)

Facebook/Instagram: Used needles, syringes, and lancets should never go in the recycling bin. Medical sharps, whether loose or stored in a plastic container, that are placed in recycling bins injure local recycling facility employees by pricking them and spreading bloodborne illnesses like HIV and Hepatitis C. To learn about safe disposal of these items, visit the NYS Sharps Collection Program web page (t.ly/fRfh). #RecycleRightNY

Twitter: Used needles, syringes, and lancets should never go in the recycling bin. Whether loose or stored in a plastic container, these items injure recycling facility employees and spread bloodborne illnesses. Learn more about safe disposal of these items (t.ly/fRfh). #RecycleRightNY

Week 3 Campaign Materials (Unused Medications)

Facebook/Instagram: Never put unused medications in the recycling bin or down the drain. Doing so contaminates other recyclable materials and pollutes local waterways. To learn how to responsibly dispose of unused medications, visit the Safe Medication Disposal for Households web page (t.ly/wcIF), and find medication drop-box locations near you by exploring this online locator map (t.ly/ifuT). #RecycleRightNY

Twitter: Never put unused medications in the recycling bin or down the drain. Doing so contaminates recycling streams and pollutes local waterways. Learn how to responsibly dispose of unused medications on the Safe Medication Disposal for Households web page (t.ly/wcIF). #RecycleRightNY

Week 4 Campaign Materials (Medicine Bottles)

Facebook/Instagram: Never put unused medications in the recycling bin or down the drain. Doing so contaminates other recyclable materials and pollutes local waterways. To learn how to responsibly dispose of unused medications, visit the Safe Medication Disposal for Households web page (t.ly/wcIF), and find medication drop-box locations near you by exploring this online locator map (t.ly/ifuT). #RecycleRightNY

Twitter: Never put unused medications in the recycling bin or down the drain. Doing so contaminates recycling streams and pollutes local waterways. Learn how to responsibly dispose of unused medications on the Safe Medication Disposal for Households web page (t.ly/wcIF). #RecycleRightNY

March Newsletter/Newspaper Article

Handle With Care - Household Medical Items

Stay safe and Recycle Right NY! This March, we are promoting the safe handling and management of household medical items. Needles, syringes, masks, gloves, and medication can be dangerous to people and the environment if improperly disposed of. Please keep these items out of your recycling bin. Explore the links below to learn how to manage them safely and responsibly to keep your community safe!

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Used masks and gloves belong in the trash, not your recycling bin or the environment. With the increased use of these items, improper disposal is contaminating recycling streams, putting recycling workers at risk, and creating litter in our communities. Learn how to make a homemade reusable mask from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Needles & Syringes (“Sharps”): Used needles, syringes, and lancets should never go in the recycling bin. Medical sharps, whether loose or stored in a plastic container, that are placed in recycling bins injure local recycling facility employees by pricking them and spreading bloodborne illnesses like HIV and Hepatitis C. To learn about safe disposal of these items, visit the NYS Sharps Collection Program web page and find free collection sites at nearby hospitals, nursing homes, and other locations.

Unused Medications: Never put unused medications in the recycling bin or down the drain. Doing so contaminates other recyclable materials and pollutes local waterways. Putting medications in the trash is a last resort and all of the proper steps should be followed. To learn how to responsibly dispose of unused medications, visit the Safe Medication Disposal for Households web page, and find medication drop-box locations near you by exploring this online locator map.

Medicine Bottles: Some local recycling programs accept empty medicine bottles while many others do not. Be sure to “Know before you throw!” by checking with your municipality, hauler, or local pharmacy about recycling options. If they are accepted, remove or black out labels before recycling. If not, donate to an organization for reuse or reuse at home.

Free Images

Free high resolution images formatted for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and newsletters can be downloaded by going to NYS DEC's Recycle Right NY Flickr album. *

Images may not be available right away. If you do not see images for the item of the month we recommend waiting a day or two and then checking the Flickr album again for updates.  

Directions to download from Flickr: Click the link to open the Flickr album. Scroll to the image you want and left click on it. The image will now be brought up on the screen by itself. In the far right bottom corner there will be a downward facing arrow with a line under it. Left click on it and choose, Original (1024x512) as the option. It will automatically download.  If you need assistance please e-mail us at recycling@dec.ny.gov.

* If you are experiencing technical difficulties downloading the images from Flickr, please open the Flickr link in a different web browser such as Chrome or Firefox.