Recycling

EWww! Grease clogged pipe

After big holiday meals, no one likes doing the clean-up But if you aren't careful with leftover gravy, pan drippings and sauces a grease-clogged drain could end up costing you a bundle.

When fats, oils and grease are poured down the drain, they stick to the inside of pipes causing messy sewer backups and expensive cleanup and repair in your home.

The simple solution
Pour the grease into a can, freeze it, then toss the can in the trash.

Do your part
Grease can also plug sewer collection lines and pumps, thereby causing overflows into public areas and again possibly back up into your home. As a double whammy, the untreated wastewater may flow into streets, neighborhood storm drains and ultimately the nearest river or stream causing problems for surrounding communities and the environment.

Grease sources:

How to Dispose of Grease at Home:

• Never pour grease down sinks or toilets
• Pour grease and oil into a can and freeze, then toss in the trash
• Throw food scraps in the garbage
• Avoid the garbage disposal

Remind family and friends - keep the grease out of the drain.

Happy Holidays!

Inside this Issue

• Help Guide Gresham's Future Housing Needs
• Volunteer Watching Birds for Survey
• Backyard Burning Season Starts
• Recycle (Don't Toss) at Earth Day Event
• Free Compost, Bring Your Buckets
• Attend City's Graffiti Removal Summit
• Connect With Your City Councilors
• Bike Fun in May
• Rain Garden Workshop, $200 Incentive
• City Jobs, Meetings and Community Events

Keep up with what’s Happening in your City!

Neighborhood Connections is a publication from the City of Gresham
Communications & Community Outreach offering City of Gresham news, Public Safety information, Community Activities & Events, Training & Workshops, Volunteer Opportunities, and more.

Inside this Issue

• Crime Reports
• Neighborhood Safety Forum
• Community Forum for Wireless Communication Facilities (WCF)
• Basic Mediation Training
• New Downtown Development Rules Proposed
• Charter Review Committee
• Gresham Composts – Businesses Recycling Food Scraps
• Workshop: Negotiation for Win-Win Solutions
• What’s Your Opinion of Code Violations in Your Neighborhood?
• Earth Day is April 21
• Water Crews Flushing Pipes
• Raptor ID Class
• Winter Birds in Your Yard
• Amphibian Surveys: Volunteers Needed
• February is Plant a Tree Month (Free Tree Giveaway)
• Texas Hold ‘Em Fundraiser
• Auditions for East County’s Got Talent
• Free Activities at the Library
• Volunteer Today at Girl Scouts

Keep up with what’s Happening in your City!

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Gresham Neighborhoods listing

For more information, visit the Neighborhood Associations page at GreshamOregon.gov or contact Cathy Harrington at 503-618-2482, or email Cathy.Harrington@GreshamOregon.gov.

Employees counting redeemable's Wood Village BottleDrop Center

Returning Oregon redeemable's just got a lot easier. Fill the bag. Drop it off. Collect your refund.

If you haven't tried the new Wood Village BottleDrop Redemption Center - what are you waiting?

Getting started

Simply stop by the Wood Village BottleDrop Center at 233rd & NE Halsey to sign-up (it only takes a minute). You'll get a nifty hard plastic ID card and 2 convenient ID key fobs, 2 BottleDrop bar coded bag tags and 2 EZ Drop bags (made from 100% recycled materials) to get you started.

Learn the Do's and Dont's of Holiday Recycling plus, Ways to Recycle Your Tree Including Curbside for Free!

With the holiday's upon us, here's a few tips for proper disposal of unwanted wrapping paper, wreaths and trees.

Holiday Recycling Questions

• Can glossy holiday gift bags go in the blue cart?
  Paper gift bags can be recycled. Tip: Usually if you can tear the paper fairly easily it will pulp up at the paper mill. Gift bags can be reused or donated to charity.
• Can cellophane or foil wrapping paper go in the blue cart?
  Non-paper wrapping material should not go in the blue roll carts. Most “foil-like” paper is metallic ink on paper and is accepted with recycling.
• Can present ribbons be recycled in the blue cart?
  Non-paper ribbons are not accepted (very few ribbons are paper-based).

  Plenty more tips below this break

Cha-Ching! Wood Village Redemption Center includes EZ Drop for greater convenience

Another first for Oregon

Oregon’s first beverage container redemption center since the inception of the Oregon Bottle Bill is scheduled to open Monday, September 27th.

The Wood Village BottleDrop Redemption Center, located at 3345 NE Halsey St., will be open to the public from 9AM to 6PM seven days a week. Operated by Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative the facility will have reverse vending-machines and employees available to count up to 200 containers per person per day and issue immediate container-deposit refunds.

Changes Ahead

Starting Sunday, October 3rd, the first two participating retailers Wood Village Fred Meyer and Cherry Park Safeway will no longer accept beverage container returns.

Consumers should take their refundable containers to the Wood Village Redemption Center or to smaller retailers in the area for collection.