It is time again for our quarterly Recycle It! fairs. The quarterly Recycle It! Fairs are scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at three locations: the Liberty County Health Department in Flemington, Walthourville City Hall and the Midway Police Department. Three locations means that it is easier than ever for you to drop off these types of recycling items.

In addition to the items that we collect for recycling or safe disposal, we also will hold a special Shred It! Day event in conjunction with the Recycle It! Fair in Walthourville. Shredding your old documents and personal information that you no longer need is a safe way to protect yourself from identity theft. In fiscal-year 2015, we collected more than 35,000 pounds of items at the fairs. Your efforts to recycle or dispose of these items can make a significant difference, so start cleaning out those storage areas and closets this weekend.

Our local recycling sites throughout the county are available for drop off for regularly used items, including newspapers (even the inserts), paper, magazines, light board (like food boxes and product boxes), many types of plastics (bottles and containers), glass bottles, tin cans, aluminum cans and cardboard. The quarterly Recycle It! fairs are for other items that are used around the house and around the workplace. Our local partners — Goodwill Industries, Coastal Auto and Recycling, Liberty County Solid Waste — and local law enforcement, as well as the cities of Walthourville and Midway, make it possible to offer these special recycling events each quarter.

Our fair sites are:

• Liberty County Health Department, 1113 E. Oglethorpe Highway

• Midway Police Department, 10490 E. Oglethorpe Highway (at light)

• Walthourville City Hall, 222 Busbee Drive

Here is a list of the items we accept for recycling or disposal:

• E-waste — electronics: including computers, printers, monitors and any computer accessories; stereo equipment and televisions; cellphones and accessories. All hard drives will be wiped clean for your security by our local Goodwill Industries.

• Household paint — Cans have to be sealed well, not rusted and at least half full. If your cans are not in good condition, add cat litter or sand to the paint, let it dry and then dispose in your regular garbage. We can only collect paint that is in acceptable condition to reuse, so please follow the above information.

• Fluorescent lightbulbs — Check out the website (www.energystar.gov) for more information on eAnergy-efficient lights.

• Used motor oil, antifreeze and car batteries — At the Midway and Walthourville sites, we can accept car batteries but we can only accept the oil and antifreeze in clean, disposable containers. (Remember to always recycle motor oil and antifreeze as soon as possible. Never pour these items down the drain or into a storm drain or just dump them. They cause severe water-pollution problems.)

• Household batteries

• Printer ink and toner cartridges

• Telephone books and large sale catalogs

• Hardback books, paperbacks, and textbooks

• Prescription Take Back for any old prescription medications and over-the-counter medications that need disposal. Never flush these items down the toilet. These types of items have a detrimental effect on our waterways and, consequently, on aquatic life and humans. Note: we cannot accept hypodermic needles.

• Household goods, clothes and shoes (in clean, decent condition, please).

For the Shred It! Fair, cars must be in line by 12:45 p.m. at the latest. All the paper from the event will be recycled.

So just think how much more room you will have in your closets, cabinets and storage areas at home and work when you collect all of these items for the fair. When I make more space, it sometimes makes me want to go out and buy some more stuff! It is a sick compulsion, I know, but fight the urge to shop and bask in the glow of reducing waste in your home and world. See you Sept.12!

For more information, call 880-4888, email klcb@coastalnow.net or go to www.keeplibertybeautiful.org.

Swida is director of Keep Liberty Beautiful.