Solid Waste E-News: December 2020

• Christmas and New Year’s Solid Waste Schedules
• Correction: Loads of Leaves Accepted
• How to Have a Mindful and Merry Holiday Season
• Citizen Spotlight: Adam Stenross-Russell
• Compost Bin Sales

Christmas Holiday Schedule

• Curbside Recycling: Recycling pick up scheduled on 12/24 will be collected as normal, recycling pick up scheduled for 12/25 will be collected on Saturday 12/26. Carts out by 7 am as usual.

• Solid Waste Administrative Offices: Offices closed 12/24-25, 12/28

• Landfill/Disposal Center: Open 12/24 from 7 am-12 pm, Closed on Christmas Day 12/25

• Waste & Recycling Centers: Open 12/24 from 7 am-12 pm, Closed on Christmas Day 12/25

  
  

New Year's Day Holiday Schedule

• Curbside Recycling: Recycling pick up scheduled on 1/1/21 will be collected on Saturday 1/2/21. Carts out by 7 am as usual.
• Solid Waste Administrative Office: Closed New Year’s Day 1/1
• Landfill/Disposal Center: Closed New Year’s Day 1/1
• Waste & Recycling Centers: Closed New Year’s day 1/1

Correction: Loads of Leaves Accepted 

In the monthly ‘Watching Our Wasteline’ column in the News of Orange, Orange County stated that as of December 1, Solid Waste would no longer accept loads of leaves at the Orange County Landfill/Disposal Center. Orange County Solid Waste Management Department has been able to address State regulatory permit issues related to its yard waste operations and will continue to accept loads of leaves. There will be no interruption in the acceptance of loads of leaves at the Landfill/Disposal Center.

How to have a Mindful and Merry Holiday Season

Thanksgiving celebrations are over and now it’s time to start putting up decorations and planning presents. If you’re looking to be more environmentally conscious this holiday season, use these tips and tricks.

Decorations:

Starting off with the biggest decoration of them all…the tree! A lot of people debate over whether a fake tree is more sustainable than a real one and it mainly depends on where the tree ends up. In an independent study, researchers found that an artificial tree would need to be reused for over 20 years to be more sustainable over purchasing a real tree each year. If you get a real tree, the best thing to do is to compost the tree at the end of its life. Orange County residents can bring their Christmas trees to either Eubanks Rd. or Walnut Grove Church Rd. Waste and Recycling Centers or the disposal facility to be composted with other yard waste.  Those living in single family homes within Town limits of Carrboro, Chapel Hill or Hillsborough may recycle their Christmas trees with other yard waste, following their Town’s instructions and collection schedules. All ornaments, lights, garlands and bases must be removed from the tree. If you don’t have an option to compost your tree, consider getting a used artificial one online or at a thrift store.
 
For other decorations around the home, try making your own and using what you have! Things such as colorful leaves from fallen trees, cinnamon sticks, popcorn strands and paper snowflakes make for great festive decorations. One of my favorite decorations is an oven dried citrus fruit garland using lemons, oranges and blood-oranges.

Gifts:

For some, gift-giving and receiving is the best part of the holidays. Shopping second-hand is more sustainable and, with thrifting becoming increasingly popular, it may be prudent to begin looking for gifts early this year to find all the goodies and gems that thrift stores have to offer. Aside from thrifting gifts, personal hand-crafted gifts can be more meaningful than ones bought from a store (plus, it might save you some money too). If you don’t have a special craft, think about re-gifting which may seem wrong but if you gift the item to someone that would put it to better use, then it’s extending the life of the product! Beyond physical gifts, replacing gift giving with another tradition such as taking a hike together, donating in someone’s honor, or doing something else both parties would enjoy can be a great option.
 
When it comes to wrapping gifts, try to avoid traditional gift wrapping paper since they typically include metallic or plastic finishes that can NOT be recycled. Opt instead for something that can be reused or recycled afterwards. Alternative gift wrapping paper can be brown paper bags, old newspaper, especially the comic pages, and magazine pages. If you’re set on using gift wrap, check your local thrift store for rolls others may have donated or buy recyclable wrapping paper. You can also use old fabric and t-shirts to wrap gifts. Decorating gifts with leaves and flowers or old holiday cards adds a special festive touch. If you receive gifts in traditional gift wrapping paper or gift bags, keep them to reuse next year!

Compost Bin Sales

Orange County Solid Waste is pleased to again offer counter top compost pails and ‘Earth Machine’ backyard composters for sale. Sales are by APPOINTMENT ONLY. A limited number of appointments are available each Wednesday.  To schedule an appointment, please call (919) 968-2788 or email recycling@orangecountync.gov.

You can pay with cash, check or money order ONLY. Exact change is REQUIRED. 

The sales will take place at the Orange County Scale house located at 1514 Eubanks Rd., Chapel Hill, NC 27516. Face Masks and compliance with social distancing measures are required. Due to the pandemic, employees are prohibited from assisting with the loading of purchases into customer’s vehicles. Purchasers must load their purchase themselves. The composter comes in two pieces and will fit in any size car.

If a customer misses their appointment time, the customer must call to schedule another appointment.

Citizen Spotlight: Adam Stenross-Russell
Local Recycler / Reuser/ Repairer 

Since Adam Stenross-Russell and his young family moved back to Chapel Hill a few years ago, he has taken on a crusade of sorts by becoming his neighborhood junk man, repair man and a source of reusable materials for others. Using a repurposed trailer rebuilt from an old pickup truck bed and parked in front of his house, he has notified neighbors that they may deposit their old scrap metal including gutters, bikes, lawnmowers, lamps, ceiling fans, etc.  In the past year, Adam estimates that he’s made 15 trips to the scrap yard, diverting over 18,000 pounds of metal to recycling all while making about 17 cents an hour. He claims it is fun for him and his 3 sons are able to learn something by helping sort the metals and go to the junkyard to see the cycle get completed.

 As ‘reuse (and repair)’ are higher in the waste hierarchy than recycling, he has also managed to rescue and repair numerous items that he either gives away or sells cheaply to neighbors such as lawnmowers.  The trailer has also been a source of materials for at least one local artist and other resourceful souls for landscaping materials. Adam reports that the neighbors are aware of this resource through a lively neighborhood email ring and word of mouth. He cites his mom as a source of inspiration, having taken him on numerous stream clean ups and other environmental outings while growing up in Chapel Hill.

Know any other local waste reducing heroes you’d like spotlighted? Let us know and we’ll publish their stories too.