Accepted materials
E-Waste: Keystone Enterprises will accept electronic waste, which includes items powered by a cord or battery, battery-operated toys, electronics, computers, laptops, TVs and monitors without tubes, large batteries of any kind including auto and scooter, and ammunition and firearms. Large appliances/refrigerators and air conditioners must be drained of freon. Note that Keystone cannot accept the older televisions or computer monitors with tubes, as they contain several hazardous materials that require specialized handling and processing.
For large quantities of electronic recycling, participants are encouraged to contact Keystone Enterprises at 903-640-4928 to make special arrangements.
Medications: Sherman Police Department will safely dispose of unused medications. Proper medication disposal is extremely helpful for both public health and environmental protection. When medications are thrown in the trash or flushed down toilets, their chemical compounds can contaminate soil and drinking water systems. Additionally, keeping unused medications around the home poses safety risks — particularly for accidental ingestion by children or pets, and potential misuse or theft of controlled substances.
Eyeglasses and Cell Phones: The local Lions Clubs will have booths on the festival grounds. Sherman Noon Lions Club will collect eyeglasses and send them to a Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center (LERC) for trained volunteers to clean and sort by prescription. A valuable resource, the glasses are packaged and . distributed to those in need.
The Sherman Evening Lions Club will collect cell phones to be refurbished or recycled. Working, usable phones are often refurbished and resold, providing affordable communication options for others, while broken or unusable phones are sent to specialized e-waste recyclers who recover valuable metals and materials.
Documents and Cardboard: First United Bank will sponsor secure paper shredding services, with a limit of 5 copier-size boxes per vehicle. This service offers residents peace of mind in protecting sensitive information while responsibly recycling paper.
The City of Sherman will provide a large roll-off bin for cardboard recycling. All boxes must be flattened before drop-off.
Textiles and Small Housewares: American Textile Recycling Service (ATRS) will collect items such as clothing, shoes, belts, purses, linens, towels, rags, blankets, sheets, drapes and small, non-breakable housewares. This service helps divert thousands of pounds of textiles from landfills while supporting charitable causes through the reuse and recycling of donated materials. Note that ATRS cannot accept upholstery fabric, sofa and chair cushions, fabrics and materials contaminated with chemicals or oils, or mattresses. All items should be clean and dry when donated.
Unneeded canning jars will be collected, sterilized, and reused by the Holmes Family Rustic Kitchen. All sizes of canning jars are accepted; look for their booth on the festival grounds.
Building Materials: Habitat for Humanity's ReStore truck will be on-site to collect home improvement supplies and working small devices. Donated building materials should be in clean, usable and resalable condition. By collecting and selling these donated items at discounted prices, ReStores generate revenue that directly supports Habitat for Humanity's core mission of building and improving affordable homes for families in need. The funds help cover construction costs, land acquisition, and other expenses related to their housing projects.
Important restrictions
For the safety of volunteers and the success of the recycling effort, certain restrictions apply. All recycling must be clean, dry and pre-sorted, with no mixed bags accepted. The event cannot accept household hazardous waste, chemicals, paint, tires, tube televisions or CRT monitors. Trailers are not permitted on Elm Street due to space constraints. Textile recycling cannot accept contaminated fabrics, mattresses or upholstery.
The recycling event is part of the larger Earth Day Festival that includes workshops, entertainment, vendors and children's activities, all celebrating environmental awareness and sustainable living.
Complete details about accepted materials and festival activities are available at www.earthdaytexoma.org.
