Last week, Reader Meghan B. reached out to ask how to recycle non-traditional materials in Richmond. Meghan’s inquiry was about textiles — but we went all in on our recycling research to answer to a few common questions about specialty recycling.

Where can I drop off recycling?

There are four recycling collection sites maintained by the City of Richmond. Speciality recyclables are accepted at one site — the East Richmond Road Convenience Center, located at 3800 E. Richmond Rd.

The center is open on weekdays from 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., and is closed on Sundays.

The other sites are at Robin Hood Road (1710 Robin Hood Rd.), the Southside Transfer Station (3506 N. Hopkins Rd.), and the Stratford Hills Shopping Center (6788 Forest Hill Ave.).

Can I recycle _____?

Maybe, maybe not. But it’s easy to find the answer. Use Central Virginia Waste Management Authority’s Recycling Wizard tool to search by locality + material. We consulted the wizard to see about a few specific items and how to dispose of them sustainably.

Here’s how to get rid of:

Batteries. Drop off lead acid and rechargeable batteries at the East Richmond Road Convenience Center public use area. Alkaline batteries are safe to dispose of in your trash.
Clothing and shoes. Donate textiles to local consignment stores or Goodwill. Richmond Animal Care & Control is also almost always looking for old towels + blankets.

Paints and solvents. Put oil-based paints, varnish, primers, and other flammable solvents in the paint area at the city convenience center. Latex paints are not accepted for recycling — let them dry out + put them in the trash.

Electronics. Consider donating old televisions, computers + cell phones, or look out for a special collection event. Pro tip: there’s one happening this Saturday at Securis Richmond, located at 8419 Glazebrook Ave.

Check out the CVWMA Recycling in Richmond page to see information about specialty recyclables.

Have any other sustainability tips for us? Tell us where you take your old items to give them new life.