Solid Waste & Recycling E-News February 2023

Did You Know?
Battery Disposal Reminder
Donate Your Silverware
New A-Z Waste and Recycle Guide
What’s in the Cart?
Low Waste Valentine’s Day

Battery Disposal Reminder

Please do NOT place lithium, household/dry-cell, rechargeable, or car batteries in curbside recycling carts or mixed recycling drop-off. Additionally, do NOT dispose of these batteries in the trash. All of these type batteries pose a serious fire hazard to recycling trucks, trash trucks, and facilities when disposed of improperly. In fact, an Orange County recycling truck caught on fire in 2022 due to lithium batteries disposed of in a curbside cart.

All batteries, other than alkaline batteries, must be disposed of separately in the Batteries Drop-Off section, available at all five Orange County Waste & Recycling Centers. Additionally, please tape lithium battery terminals and place them in the containers labeled “Lithium Batteries Only.”

Car batteries cannot be recycled in curbside carts or mixed recycling drop-off either. Please bring car batteries to the Car Battery Drop-Off, available at all five Waste & Recycling Centers.

Donate Your Silverware

Orange County Solid Waste’s Fork-It-Over program allows residents and employees in the County to borrow mix-match sets of stainless steel silverware for events. If you would like to donate excess silverware for the County’s program, please contact our office at (919) 968-2788 or recycling@orangecountync.gov.

Using the New A-Z Waste & Recycle Guide

Orange County Solid Waste released a new A-Z Waste & Recycle Guide several months ago in order to provide a more user friendly experience. Users can search for specific items, ranging from air conditioners to x-rays, to learn how to properly dispose of them. The guide is available through the Orange County NC Recycles free phone app, and on the Solid Waste website.

Tips for Using the Guide:

The search engine utilizes synonyms, so sometimes the exact term you search will not be a result. However, other names for the item will appear. If you cannot find the term you are searching for, browse through the other search results.
If you cannot find how to dispose of the item you’re looking for, click “Suggest [item] as new item.” These items are continuously reviewed by staff and synonyms or new items added.
To view an alphabetical drop-down list of materials, click “List of Materials” on the A-Z Waste & Recycle Guide page (see image below).
For a general overview of accepted recyclables in the County, please refer to the Recycle Right resources on our website.

Blister Packaging Example. Source: TurboSquid

What’s in the Cart?

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. Some contaminants that inspectors have found:

Latex gloves are not recyclable and should be thrown away. Consider reusable, washable gloves to reduce waste.
Umbrellas cannot be recycled in curbside carts. Umbrellas in good condition can be donated to the Salvage Sheds. Repair broken ones when possible, before opting to throw them away.
Blister packaging secures your product between a thermoformed plastic cover (blister) and a printed paperboard backing (blister card). Examples includes toothbrush, toy, and lip balm packaging. The plastic is NOT recyclable, but the backing can be removed and recycled.
Contact lens packs are too small to be recycled and should be thrown away. Alternatively, check with your doctor or contact lens provider to see if they take back used cases.
Wood of any form cannot be recycled curbside. Clean wood can be dropped off at any Waste & Recycling Center. Painted wood can be disposed at the Construction & Demolition Landfill. Wood cutlery can be composted.

Low Waste Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine’s Day, Orange County! Reduce your waste this holiday with the following tips:

Bring a reusable container to Valentine exchanges and parties
Use paper bags instead of plastic for your Valentine’s day gifts or goodie bags
Design a homemade card with recyclable materials (i.e. avoid glitter, felt, and ribbons)
Buy candy from the bulk section and use your own reusable container; alternatively, buy a bag of loose candy instead of a bag of individually wrapped pieces
Compost your flowers, or get creative by drying and preserving them

Source: 30minutecrafts.com

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.

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