A: Dear Lynn, I am not aware of any local or regional recycling options for block Styrofoam(TM). By its very nature (inexpensive, light, bulky), it's very difficult to recycle successfully.

A: If you live in the unincorporated areas of Whatcom County which SSC services, you may sign up for every other week recycling bin collection, at a cost of $5.11 per month. This is the standard three bins for newspaper, mixed, and glass/cans/plastic, plus cardboard, scrap metal, vehicle batteries, and used motor oil.

A: Dear Stan, It can be confusing! I'll try to separate plastics into three categories for you. First, though, the technical resin names, the chasing arrows logo, and the number inside the logo do NOT affect if the plastic item is recyclable locally or not, so pay no attention to them. "Yes" curbside: all plastic bottles, plastic tubs and buckets (and their lids) less than one gallon, and single serve plastic cups (and their lids if any). All clean deli and bakery trays with snap on lids are considered "tubs," and are fine in the blue curbside bin. "No" curbside: screw top plastic caps, hinged plastic ontainers, and plastic wrap/bags "Yes" drop-off ONLY: clean plastic bags (free at most groceries and NW Recycling, 1419 C St); plant pots/trays, buckets larger than 1-gal (remove metal handles!), and blister packs (SSC, 1001 Roeder, M-F 8-5, $2 per 30-gal bag). Thanks for recycling!

A: WE SELL A CUTAWAY TOTER WHICH HOLDS ALL THREE BINS AND FLATTENED BOXES TUCKED IN BEHIND, $35 DELIVERED. IT HAS A LID AND ROLLS EASILY ON MOST SURFACES. CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE MORE RECYCLING THAN WILL FIT IN THER BINS CAN BUY AN EXTRA BIN OR BINS FROM OUR OFFICE, OR USE A CARDBOARD BOX NO LARGER THAN THE REGULAR BIN. FOR ALUMINUM CANS AND PLASTIC only, CUSTOMERS MAY PURCHASE (K-MART, ETC) AND PUT OUT A 30-GAL CAN MARKED CANS/PLASTIC.

A: SSC does collect used motor oil curbside from residences, in sealed, screw-top containers up to one gallon in size. To prevent spills, snap on lids are not accepted, and please do not use containers which have held bleach or chlorine products. We do not collect anti-freeze curbside, but you can recycle used anti-freeze at numerous drop-off locations, including transfer stations (Birch Bay, Cedarville, Nooksack Valley Disposal in Lynden, and Pt Roberts), Master Lube and Jiffy Lube in Bellingham, Jim's Automotive in Everson, and the Disposal of Toxics at 3505 Airport Way in Bellingham. For more details on hours and directions to any of these facilities, call the Recycling Hotline at 676-5723.