It’s Saturday afternoon and you are climbing over the stuff in the back room, wishing you had some storage space. If you knew what to do with everything, you’d clean it out.

The good news is, there are places for things to go and some convenient options for obtaining the information you seek.

Take the Internet. Day or night, you can go online to the Recycle and Disposal Lookup table maintained by the Kitsap County Solid Waste Division at kitsapgov.com/sw.

There, you will find information on what to do with broken appliances, old batteries, scrap metal or other items you no longer want to store. If you’d rather talk to a real person, call The Open Line at (360) 337-5777 during business hours and they will find the answer or find someone who can help you.

Is some of that surplus too good for even the recycle bin? Let’s say you just did some remodeling and upgrading at the office, and you ended up with some old countertops, bookshelves, a cash register that still works, a desk, and some file cabinets that are not too pretty, but serviceable. List them for free on the State’s new website. Kitsap County has its own page where you can list your surplus (but not your retail products). It’s not an auction, just a garage sale that never closes. This site does not accept chemicals or other hazardous materials.

Another option is the Industrial Materials Exchange (IMEX). The online version at is updated weekly, or you can get a free hard copy, updated quarterly, by calling (206) 296-4899. This regional materials exchange is free for businesses to use. On any given day you might find listings for free or cheap fiber drums, PVC pipe, siding, used hospital items like wheelchairs and walkers, restroom dispensers, and industrial chemicals.

Then there are the perennial questions asked by business owners everywhere. The following is a sampling of some of the most often asked questions and the answers:

What is my company supposed to do with old computers?

Monitors: You’ll see on the Recycle and Disposal Lookup, under Electronics, that you can give MD Electronics in Poulsbo a call at (360) 779-6813 or take up to ten to the Olympic View Transfer Station. Both charge a fee to cover the costs of transporting the monitors to a responsible recycler who will deconstruct the monitor and recycle its components. Don’t try this at home! Cathode ray tubes may contain small amounts of mercury and cadmium, and several pounds of lead. Let a trained professional do it. If your company has a large quantity, consider the other options listed (they may even pick them up at your business).

Another option is to check with your equipment manufacturer for reuse and recycling programs. Some companies offer rebates or trade-in programs. As for schools, some accept used computers, but probably have criteria as to what they will accept and in what quantity, so it is very important to call ahead.

Computer peripherals: MD Electronics accepts all computer equipment. You can also ask your manufacturer if they’ll take back the keyboards, mouse, and Central Processing Unit (CPU). Retailers sometimes offer take-back programs that include the monitor and everything else that goes with your computer.

Can I recycle my shredded paper?

If your company has its own shredder, do not place the shredded paper into the recycle bin. The paper fiber is too short after shredding to be of much use in the recycling process. If it goes through the system, most of it will end up as trash. Instead, see if someone in your office would like to take it home for their compost pile or worm bin. Paper adds carbon to a compost pile – something we often do not have enough of in our compost piles. (Sometimes we have too much in the way of grass clippings and not enough wood material, so shredded paper can help balance that out.) Worms like it for bedding. If they get hungry, they’ll eat it. You can use it as animal bedding (for instance, in a litter box or cage), but only if the staples and paper clips have been removed. The last resort is to throw it away.

Does anyone really have a paperless office?

There are actually some industries that are nearly paper-free now. They are mainly companies whose operations are electronic-based, such as web designers, network providers, or computer consulting businesses. What little paper they have is usually incoming, rather than generated on-site. These tech companies are savvy about electronic billing and record keeping, so they generate very little paper.

For everyone else, a few simple actions will reduce the amount of paper you use. For example, use the backsides of used paper for drafts. Fax electronically if you can, or use fax stickies instead of cover sheets. Store those important emails in an electronic file instead of keeping a hard copy “for backup.”

What about my company’s hazardous waste?
Kitsap County holds special monthly collections for businesses with hazardous waste if they meet the criteria for a Small Quantity Generator (SQG).

A business may qualify as an SQG if it generates less than 220 pounds of hazardous waste per month, or annually accumulates less than 2,200 pounds of hazardous waste on site. This includes non-profit businesses such as churches, clubs, and volunteer organizations. To see if your business qualifies and to make an appointment, call the Kitsap County Public Works Open Line at (360) 337-5777. The Open Line staff will ask you some questions and then someone will call you back to set up an appointment. Visit the SQG web page at for more information.

Can I throw away my fluorescent tubes?

No. Most fluorescent tubes contain a small amount of mercury which cannot go into the trash. If your company is an SQG, bring the linear tubes and compact fluorescent lights to your appointment, unless you have a large quantity. If you’re unsure, call The Open Line. Someone from the SQG program will help you determine if you should have a vendor pick them up. It is best if you transport the old tubes in their original box and do not tape the tubes together. There is a fee charged to cover the cost to properly manage the tubes.

If you want to find a list of vendors who pick up hazardous waste from businesses, go to the Kitsap Health District’s online database at www.kitsapcountyhealth.com/environmenta_health/solid_waste/docs/hazguide.pdf.

What’s on the horizon?

The WA State Department of Health and six counties, including Kitsap, are developing a free recycling program for contractors to safely dispose of mercury-containing thermostats they’ve replaced. If you’d like more information, call The Open Line or email.