Twin Citians - a new frugal opportunity

[fidgiegirl]

Residents of Ramsey, Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin and Washington counties can access Bay West's new household hazardous waste reuse program. This is a HHW drop off site and it looks like now they will let other residents reuse what is dropped off - for free. Super! I am excited about this for small paint jobs where I am not picky about color, small stain jobs, and to potentially get camping stove fuel. And though we're not wild about the idea, we might apply some weed killer at the rental, because there is a spot between the retaining wall and sidewalk that just looks hideous when left unweeded, and trees take root. I think it's too much to ask the renters to pull all that stuff, and I don't want to. So maybe we can get some weed killer at this place. That kind of thing.

Website says there isn't much right now but that there will be more soon (spring cleaning, I suppose.)

Anyway, I thought it was kind of neat.

http://www.co.ramsey.mn.us/ph/hw/household_hazardous_waste_collection_sites.htm

[redfox]

Cool resource!

[Tussiemussies]

You can use straight vinegar as a weed killer. It is very effective. The only issue is if there is grass around the weeds, it will turn brown. We have used this for many years now on the driveway where grass grows through the cracks and the same for sidewalks and curbside....

[fidgiegirl]

Tussie do you use regular vinegar from the store or the herbicidal strength vinegar? I thought I heard there were stronger ones for weed killing but could never find them. Maybe it is all a myth. :)

[Rosemary]

We tried regular vinegar one summer. I think it might work better if you spray multiple times, and possibly heat the vinegar before using. Our most persistent weeds (dandelions, mostly) returned. And it definitely does not work on buckthorn. At all. For a small space like you describe, you might try a really thick groundcover - perhaps ajuga, which can take sun or partial shade, and just about any soil conditions, I think, and grows into a thick mat?

Anyway, I read about this program too, Kelli, and it's great to reuse this stuff instead of disposing of it. We've taken HHW to collection sites for years and I always wondered whether they reused the paints in any way.

[SteveinMN]

Thanks, Kelli! Nice to see that kind of stuff promoted to 'reuse' rather than 'recycle'.

I can add, too, that the Hirshfield's on Lake Street has long sold recycled paint. They sourced the paint from regional collection sites. IIRC (it's been a few years since I looked), they offered a few neutral colors and they may have sold it only in gallons or 5-gallon pails. But at least someone offers it locally.

[fidgiegirl]

Great tips on the vinegar and Hirshfields . . . thanks all!