Solid Waste & Recycling E-Newsletter |
- Did You Know?
- Ferguson Rd. Waste & Recycling Center Hours Change
- Shred-A-Thon Reminders
- Blast From the Past: Recycling in the 90s
- Plastic Bag Recycling
- Recycle Right Highlight: Metal
- What’s in the Cart?
|
|
|
Did you know that bagged recycling gets thrown away when it gets to the sorting facility? Recyclables should ALWAYS be kept loose in the carts. Please empty ALL bags of recyclables into the cart and keep plastic bags out of recycling.
Paper bags can be recycled in your cart and plastic bags should be recycled separately at the Eubanks Rd. and Walnut Grove Church Rd. Waste & Recycling Centers.
Wondering if you can recycle a specific item? Download the Orange County NC Recycles app or use the A-Z guide on the website to search for what you can and cannot recycle.
|
Ferguson Rd. Waste & Recycling Center Hours Change |
Effective September 27, 2025, the Ferguson Rd. Waste & Recycling Center will be CLOSED on Saturdays from 2pm-2:30pm to ensure maximum safety while containers are serviced.
|
|
|
Bring your confidential documents for FREE & SAFE destruction and recycling. Orange County residents (including Chapel Hill in Durham County), small businesses and local government employees only.
Hillsborough: Wednesday, September 17th from 10am-2pm (or until capacity is met) at the Walnut Grove Church Rd. Waste & Recycling Center (3605 Walnut Grove Church Rd, Hillsborough, NC 27278)
As a reminder, this event is for CONFIDENTIAL papers only. No newspaper, receipts, junk mail, magazines, or catalogs. No plastic or metal binders, plastic folders, plastic notebook covers, large metal clips, notebook rings, credit cards, or electronic media. Paper must be in clear plastic bags (up to 13gal), paper bags, reusable bags, or boxes (no larger than a banker box). Limit of 4 bags or boxes and one trip per household or organization.
For more information about the event or additional shredding services, visit the Solid Waste website.
|
|
|
Blast From the Past: Recycling in the '90s |
Travel back to the '90s to see what was happening with recycling at Orange County Solid Waste. The September 1991 edition of "The Orange Regional Solid Waste News" covered a number of topics, including composting, Styrofoam, and new additions to the Solid Waste program. The "What's in Store for Recycling" section highlighted some updated programming for the 1991-1992 fiscal year:
|
-
Tin can recycling to be added at all drop-off sites beginning October 1, 1991.
- Household Hazardous Waste Program.
- Rural Buy-Back Center for purchase of recyclables from the public.
- Backyard composting program, which includes composting workshops and sale of bins to the public.
- Expansion of commercial recycling programs, including waste audits and more commercial cardboard and glass recycling.
- Small expansion of apartment collections.
- Small expansion of plastics drop-off beginning October 1, 1991.
- Expansion of curbside collection of newspaper, glass bottles, and aluminum cans to new homes within town limits.
|
Orange County Solid Waste has come a long way since 1991, and we hope to see even more exciting recycling updates in the next 30 years!
|
|
|
Did you know that you can recycle plastic bags and film separately in Orange County? Plastic bag recycling is a great way to keep plastic film out of landfills, save natural resources, and make new products from recycled materials.
While you cannot put them in your curbside cart or mixed recycling drop-off, plastic bags and other types of plastic film are accepted at the Eubanks Rd. and Walnut Grove Rd. Waste & Recycling Centers. The carts for these materials are located near the Clothing, Shoes and Textile bins. The plastic bags and plastic film collected in these carts are recycled into composite decking and railing. Below is a list of accepted and not accepted materials.
|
|
|
- Grocery bags
- Produce bags
- Ice bags
- Sandwich bags
- Cereal box liners
- Case overwrap
- Bread bags
- Newspaper sleeves
- Dry cleaning bags
- Bubble wrap
- Plastic mailers
|
| - Frozen food bags
- Candy bar wrappers
- Chip bags
- Net or mesh produce bags
- Mulch or soil bags
- Pet food bags
- Meat packaging
- Salad mix bags
- Shower curtains and tablecloths
- Floral wrap
- Compostable plastic film
- 6-pack rings
|
|
|
Don't see your item listed? If the package is stretchy when you pull it, it is accepted. If it is shiny, crinkly, or tears like paper, it is NOT accepted.
|
|
|
Recycle Right Highlight: Metal |
Recycle right! The only metals that are accepted in curbside recycling carts and mixed recycling drop-off are metal food and drink cans. All other metal items, including foil and aerosol cans, should be donated or recycled separately at the Waste & Recycling Centers.
|
|
|
A monthly review of the most common and obscure findings in recycling carts.
As part of the Recycling Stars Program, Solid Waste staff evaluate curbside recycling carts to educate residents on proper recycling. The program’s goal is to improve the overall quality and quantity of recyclables collected from households around the County. Residents that recycle properly are awarded a star sticker. Residents also receive feedback on unaccepted items found in their recycling cart via a letter or ‘Oops’ tag attached to their cart. For more information on the Recycling Stars Program, please visit our website.
Some contaminants that inspectors have found recently:
|
- Plastic silverware is not recyclable and should be put in the trash.
- Waste reduction tip: Bring a reusable silverware set to use for to-go food or in place of disposable silverware at restaurants.
- Microwave popcorn bags are not recyclable and should be put in the trash.
- Chip bags are not recyclable and should be put in the trash.
- Waste reduction tip: Purchase snacks in bulk rather than individually wrapped packages.
-
Black plastic is not recyclable and should be put in the trash.
- Waste reduction tip: Usable black plastic takeout containers should be reused or donated.
- Egg cartons made of plastic or Styrofoam are not recyclable and should be put in the trash.
- Waste reduction tip: Choose eggs in recyclable paper cartons instead.
|
|
|
|
Become a Better Recycler! |
Download our free app called Orange County NC Recycles in the Apple or Google Play Store where you can:
• Use the A-Z guide to find out the right way to dispose of your materials
• View the recycling collection calendar and receive reminders
• Learn about the Waste & Recycling Centers
|
|
|
Follow Us on Social Media |
At Orange County NC Solid Waste on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
|
|
|
Can't Get Enough Trash Talk? |
|
|
Listen to OC Solid Waste Representatives the second Tuesday of each month from 8:15 am to 8:45 am on the ‘3-D News’ on local radio WHUP 104.7 FM, over the air and streaming online. Visit this link to listen online. If you missed the show, you can listen online since shows are archived for a month after airing.
|
|
|
Manage your preferences | Opt Out using TrueRemove™
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
View this email online.
|
1207 Eubanks Rd | Chapel Hill, NC 27516 US
|
|
|
This email was sent to .
To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.
|
|
|
|
