original article: http://blog.oregonlive.com/pdxgreen/2009/04/can_recycle_anything.html

The best news release ever: You really can recycle anything.
Posted by Shelby Wood, The Oregonian April 15, 2009 07:32AM

The grand prize arrived yesterday in my inbox, that unsolicited email that makes all the other unsolicited email worth the effort required to open it. My reward for wading through hundreds of "news" releases about topics such as heart-shaped eco-friendly picture frames and National Direct Deposit Month carried this subject line:

A unique local recycling program.

Indeed it is.

Turns out that some folks take the definition of electronic waste beyond TVs and computers -- way beyond -- to adult toys. Some of which contain electronic parts.

Scarlet Girl Pleasure Parties, a Portland business that aims to "create a brand identity that will bring a heightened sense of refinement and style to the adult product industry through discreet and tasteful sales methods and education, while providing business and educational opportunities to our consultants," recently launched its own recycling program. It's called "Sexstainability." (Like I said, this is the email that just keeps on giving).

Basically, Scarlet Girl will take back your clean, dry, broken or unwanted toys by mail, disinfect and disassemble them, send the recyclable parts to processors and give you a $10 credit toward, well, future purchases.

The toys that arrive by mail are dumped into large vats of disinfectant, said Vicki Kriner, one of Scarlet Girl's founding members. After soaking for a while, they are smashed to bits. Kriner emphasizes that Sexstainability is a recycling program, not a reconditioning program. These toys, let's be clear, will not be reused or resold. (More details at Scarletgirl.com.)

Scarlet Girl consulted an environmental engineer to design the in-house disassembly process and to help locate a local processor that pledges to recycle the items responsibly. It took a while to find a processor that could meet the company's needs (and could make it through the phone conversation).

"Let me tell you, those were some interesting phone calls," Kriner said.

See, kids? In Oregon, you really can recycle anything.