14 Things You Should Never Throw Away in Maine

All batteries from hearing aid button batteries to car batteries can be recycled, and should be! If you don't recycle them they end up in landfills and corrde with moisture, the corroding heavy metals can seep into water supplies and the soil. If batteries are burned with regular trash it can cause air pollution as well. Bonus: If you take your dead car battery back to the place you got it, most will give you cash for the battery or replace it for free. See where to recycle batteries here.

These are one of the most common recycled things, but worth mentioning because every bottle or can bought in the state marked with the recycling stamp will get you 5 to 15 cents per can or bottle. Recycling cans and bottles keeps them out of landfills where they take a long time to break down, and it also keeps more resources from being used.

This is a harder one. While almost all types of carpet are recyclable, Maine has no carpet recycling facilities. However, you can ask local carpet retailers, furniture stores, or contractors if they will recycle the carpet. Some may require a fee to do this.

Most transfer stations and landfills will take your drywall making this an easy one to do. Also while there is tons of drywall thrown away every day across the county, drywall is 100% recyclable!

If you're like me, it probably seems like you are constantly going though ink and it is not cheap! Luckily some office supply stores in Maine will take used cartridges in exchange for credit towards new ones. Some companies will send you mailer's to return your old cartridges as well.

These are things that should ALWAYS be recycled as they are the leading cause of workplace injuries for those working in waste collection or landfills. However, these should never be recycled with the regular curbside recycling. For more on how and where to recycle medical sharps visit Earth911.com.

Throwing out things like prescription pills can be very dangerous to our water supply, soil composition as well as people, pets, and wildlife.

These 2 things obviously contain some very potent and harmful chemicals that if not disposed of properly can cause serious damage to our health. Many auto shops will take used oil for free and others even take antifreeze.

Maine has a great paint recycling program that is very easy to use.It's also free! Here's more details on paint drop off sites in Maine.

Some places in the state have banned the use of plastic bags completely but for the majority of the state, plastic bags are something we have too much of. Instead of throwing them out, consider using them again for things like trash can liners, or picking up small waste. Also, there is now a drop off bin inside most Maine Walmarts for your used bags to be returned.

If you have a tank that is not refillable be sure to not just toss it. Contact your local propane dealer or solid waste facility and see how to recycle your tanks.

Who knew federal law requires manufacturers to take back smoke detectors that contain a radioactive source! The best way to recycle your old smoke alarms is to call the manufacturer of the alarm and see what their recycling process is.

Styrofoam is one of those things that can be recycled over and over again and some places are asking for you to recycle to them. In other words, some people really want your trash. See where to drop Styrofoam here.

Most solid waste places will take tires for free! Some do charge a fee, but it is way better than abandoning them or burning them!