The Waste Line: A Guest Column From Orange County Solid Waste Management

GUEST COLUMNS

Welcome to the Waste Line

The Waste Line is a monthly column from Orange County Solid Waste Management. Each issue shares useful updates on recycling, trash, and composting, along with tips and news to help residents manage waste responsibly and stay informed.

Did You Know?

Did you know that you can turn your old jack-o-lanterns into compost? Keep pumpkins out of landfills by bringing them to one of Orange County’s six residential Food Waste Drop-Off sites. Collected material is converted into compost at a local industrial composting facility.

Pumpkins that have been painted or decorated with plastic, glitter, and other non-compostable products are NOT accepted at the Food Waste Drop-Off sites. Remove candles before disposal.

Wondering how to dispose of a specific item? Download the Orange County NC Recycles app or use the A-Z guide on the website to search for materials and their disposal options.

SWAG Meeting

Hear about Orange County Solid Waste program updates from the Solid Waste department and local elected officials and representatives at the upcoming Solid Waste Advisory Group meeting on Thursday, October 30, 2025. The meeting will be held from 6 pm – 8 pm in person at the Solid Waste Administration Office (1207 Eubanks Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27516) and virtually on Microsoft Teams. The virtual meeting information will be available on the website the day of the meeting.

Composting Workshop

Join Orange County Solid Waste for a FREE workshop to learn all about food waste and composting in Orange County. Register to attend on the Solid Waste website. Registration is encouraged but not required.

Date: Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Times: 10am-11:30am OR 3pm-4:30pm

Location: Solid Waste Administration Building – 1207 Eubanks Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27516

Shred Center

Did you miss the fall Shred-A-Thon events? Orange County Solid Waste offers free shredding services year-round for Orange County residents, Orange County small businesses, Orange County Departments, all Town of Chapel Hill, Town of Carrboro, and Town of Hillsborough employees, as well as Town Departments. Residents and eligible participants will drop materials off at the Solid Waste Administration Office to be securely shredded by Solid Waste staff.

Shredding is available by appointment only. Please call or email recycling@orangecountync.gov to schedule an appointment. Limit 2 banker boxes or paper bags per appointment.

• Tuesdays – appointments available to County Departments and Town Departments
• Wednesdays – appointments available to Orange County residents and Town and County employees for personal shredding
• Thursdays – appointments available to Orange County small businesses including not-for-profit organizations (churches and non-government organizations).

For more information about appointments and accepted materials, visit the Shred Center page on the Solid Waste website.

Recycle Right Highlight: Glass

Recycle right! The only glass that is accepted in curbside recycling carts, mixed recycling drop-offs and separate glass recycling are bottles and jars. All other glass items, including windowpanes, candles, and drinking glasses, are not recyclable in Orange County. Usable glass items should be donated to local donation centers and nonprofit thrift stores. Note: glass items and other breakable materials are NOT accepted in the Salvage Sheds.

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. 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:

• Corks are not recyclable and should be reused or put in the trash.
  • Waste reduction tip: Corks can be saved and used for craft projects such as bulletin boards and coasters.
• Paper cups are not recyclable and should be put in the trash.
  • Waste reduction tip: Bring reusable cups to shops to use instead of disposable ones.
• Gloves are not recyclable and should be put in the trash.
• Candy wrappers are not recyclable and should be put in the trash.
• Cotton swabs are not recyclable and should be put in the trash.

Leave Your Leaves Campaign

Change your landscaping practices this fall by committing to leaving your leaves. Orange County, in collaboration with the Towns of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough, encourages the community to leave the leaves in your yard from now through the spring instead of blowing them to the curb or collecting them for yard waste collection/drop-off. Leaves are important for a healthy ecosystem, improving soil and plant health, reducing pollution and runoff, and supporting local wildlife.

Leaving your leaves:

• Creates fertile soil and healthy trees. Leaves will decompose over 6-12 months, providing a natural fertilizer full of nutrients to your soil, trees, and plants. Leaves can also control weeds and enrich the soil.
• Supports local wildlife. Leaves provide habitats for wildlife, including pollinators, butterflies, and beneficial insects. Insects are also a natural food source for baby birds and other wildlife.
• Reduces flooding and improves water quality. Decomposing leaves absorb water to keep yards, trees, and plants hydrated. Leaving your leaves can also reduce runoff and flooding.
• Avoids pollution, reduces waste, and mitigates climate change. Curbside yard waste collection, hauling yard waste to drop-off centers, and leaf blowers use gasoline and diesel. Leaving leaves helps decrease greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.
• Saves time, effort, and money while avoiding leaf blowers.

Ways to Leave Your Leaves:

• Leave your leaves where they fall, but clear off sidewalks and driveways as needed.
• Move leaves under trees, around shrubs, or into perennial beds. Spread leaves in an even carpet spanning the tree canopy. Rake leaves underneath their trees of origin when possible, and do not make leaf layers too thick.
• Compost your leaves to create fertilizer for your garden by creating a leaf pile in your yard. This method, known as cold composting or slow composting, will allow leaves to decompose for about 12 months. Apply decomposed leaves around your yard, plants, and trees.
• Use a mulching mower to grind leaves into smaller pieces and spread them around your yard.

Orange County residents who complete the pledge can receive a free yard sign to show their support for climate resilience and biodiversity. Yard signs are available while supplies last, with a limit of one yard sign per household per year. For more information about the campaign, visit the Town of Chapel Hill website.

About the Author

The Orange County Solid Waste Management Department operates the Orange County Integrated Solid Waste Management facility, which contains the Construction and Demolition Landfill, Regulated Material Recycling, and Mulch and Compost Sales. The Department also manages five Solid Waste and Recycling Centers, including two with Household Hazardous Waste and three with Food Waste drop-offs, and the County’s comprehensive Recycling Collection Programs for residential and commercial entities. For questions or comments, please email recycling@orangecountync.gov.

Follow us on social media @ocncsolidwaste on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

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