We accumulate a lot of stuff, and sometimes we don’t know what to do with it when it no longer serves a purpose.

Emma Pardini, WLSSD’s environmental program coordinator, goes on the service’s Facebook page on Wednesdays to answer questions about what to do with random items.

Some common things she’s asked about are film plastics like bubble warp, Ziplocs, and candy wrappers.

“There are just so many cool things you can do with plastic. You can create really flexible, malleable, lightweight, long-lasting things,” Pardini said. “But when those things last long for the uses we want, they also last long out in the world.”

She offered a tip to differentiate film plastics from other plastic products.

“The ones that are stretchy and that aren’t super loud can be brought to any of WLSSD’s film plastic drop sites like the Materials Recovery Center off of Rice Lake Rd. or Household Hazardous Waste,” Pardini said.

If they are put in a home recycling bin, they can get tangled up in sorting machinery. But they are highly recyclable if brought to the right place.

With batteries, WLSSD recommends bringing them to the Household Hazardous Waste site on Courtland Street.

“We invite folks to get a container at home that’s usually a plastic or glass container because metal can be conductive. Get a plastic or glass container with no lid, and then you can tape the terminals of your battery,” Pardini said.

She asks people to put a piece of clear tape over the metal portions. That allows WLSSD staff to easily tell what kinds of batteries they are.