Simi Valley Landfill provides Simi Valley, Moorpark, Ventura and Thousand Oaks Recycling at Waste Management

Simi Valley, CA, March 10, 2008 – It’s that time of year - flowers are in bloom, spring is in the air, and it’s time for Spring Cleaning. This year, Waste Management, America’s leading waste and recycling company, asks you to “Think Green” when you spring clean by using eco-friendly cleaning products and finding a new life for items you no longer need.

Many common cleaning products are hazardous to the environment when flushed or thrown away and, according to the EPA, fumes from household cleansers and other products make indoor air in the typical home two to five times more polluted than the air outside. Today, many cleaning products have reduced toxins, are made with natural ingredients and can be purchased at grocery and retail chains. Green cleaning products can also be made at home using baking soda or vinegar and lemon juice.

“Green cleaning products can help keep chemicals out of the waste stream and groundwater," explained Mike Smith, Market Area General Manager for Waste Management of Ventura County. “Green products also typically come in recycled packaging, which is an extra bonus for the environment.”

Baking soda can be used as a gentle non-abrasive cleanser for kitchen counter tops, sinks, bathtubs, ovens, and fiberglass. It is a useful air freshener and carpet deodorizer. Because it neutralizes or absorbs odors, baking soda can also be added to litter boxes, left open in the refrigerator or freezer, or included with the laundry detergent.
When white vinegar is mixed in equal parts with salt it removes mildew, and added to water it is a good floor cleaner. Used straight, white vinegar can remove stains from the coffee pot, and is a good fabric softener.

Another way to “green while you clean” is to find a new life for items piled up in the garage or basement that you no longer need. Each spring, millions of reusable items are sent to the landfill, but there are many other ways to give your older items a second life. Some ideas include:

Non-profit thrift stores will gladly take gently used items and usually give donors a receipt to use for tax purpose
www.Freecycle.com allows members to give and get items for free. Freecycle is a web-based, nonprofit organization made up of individual city groups that promote waste reuse among their members. Members have the opportunity to give and get great things for free; membership is free and open to all communities and all members who want to participate
Have a yard sale or sell your older items online. Try craigslist.org or ebay.com
Re-gift old clothing, lawn care items, etc, to a neighbor, friend, or co-worker who may need them
Recycle what you can. Many items in your garage that currently gathering dust, such as books, small pieces of unfinished pieces of wood, or glass jars, are recyclable

Waste Management provides Ventura County with recycling, trash hauling and solid waste disposal through G.I. Industries and the Simi Valley Landfill and Recycling Center. Waste Management has owned and operated G.I. Industries since 1998 and the SVLRC site since 1983 and employs more than 230 people in Ventura County. The SVLRC provides approximately 60% of Ventura County's daily refuse disposal needs. The company operates a "green power" program at the site that generates enough power for 2,500 homes, and clean-burning LNG powers 38 of its trucks. Waste Management is a significant contributor to area community groups. For more information visit our website www.keepingventuracountyclean.com.

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