Recycling bins come to downtown Chapel Hill

Town of Chapel Hill crews installed along Franklin Street some 13 new recycling bins to collect cans and bottles that previously were mostly thrown in the trash. The bins were installed the week of Feb. 10. Another four recycling bins will be placed in Southern Village's central business area. Orange County's Solid Waste Department Recycling Division will collect the recycled materials.
The recycling bins were purchased through a $13,000 grant from N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The bins are being installed downtown at crosswalks, bus stops, near parking pay stations and parking lots.
Emily Cameron, landscape architect for the Town of Chapel Hill, said the sidewalk recycling project was the result of a successful partnership with Orange County.
"It's gratifying to be able to continue improving the downtown pedestrian experience while protecting the environment as we have in recent months with installation of cigarette disposal units and the new recycling containers," Cameron said.
Recovered cans and bottles will be trucked along with the other recyclable materials collected by Orange County to the private materials recovery facility in Greensboro owned by ReCommunity. From there, the materials are sorted, baled and sold for remanufacture into new drink cans, car parts, carpets, fiberfill, strapping and new plastic bottles.
While it is illegal under North Carolina law to dispose of aluminum beverage cans and plastic bottles in landfills, there have not been very many convenient opportunities for downtown pedestrians to recycle. With the exception of one recycling bin in front of the old Post Office and another on the south side of East Franklin, the closest pedestrian recycling containers were located on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus prior to the downtown installation.
According to Orange County Solid Waste Planner Blair Pollock, more than 46 million plastic beverage bottles and aluminum cans were disposed in the Orange County landfill last year.
"Providing recycling containers along Franklin Street makes recycling more convenient, and that is a key to capturing more material for recycling," Pollock said. "Demand for recyclable material is high, markets are strong and a lot of the plastic bottles are recycled right here in the Carolinas."
Orange County currently provides public recycling containers at all five Chapel Hill Park and Ride lots, and there are 60 walkway collection sites around the UNC campus. Away from home recycling is an important way to capture cans and bottles, Pollock said, because an estimated 50 percent are consumed away from home where there generally far fewer recycling opportunities.

Loose leaf collection in Hillsborough ends this month

Loose leaf collection of leaves in Hillsborough will end Tuesday, Jan. 31.
Beginning Feb. 1, residents should place leaves in biodegradable bags for collection at the curb. A maximum of 10 bags per property will be removed each collection day.
Also beginning the first week in February, brush will be collected once every two weeks until the loose leaf collection season starts again in November.
Small amounts of brush must be placed in biodegradable paper bags or tied into bundles using jute, sisal or hay baling twine if the amount is less than 30 pounds. No plastic or cotton twine may be used. Residents with a few sticks should allow a bagful or several armfuls to accumulate before placing brush at the curb.
Residents may receive a free sample of twine to be used for bundling small amounts of brush. Stop by Town Hall at 101 E. Orange St. or at Town Hall Annex at 137 N. Churton St.
A brochure on residential curbside collections—including a calendar for 2012—was mailed to all residents in the fall. The information also is available on the home page and Public Works Department page of the town’s website.
For more information, contact Interim Public Works Director Ken Hines by at (919) 732-1270, ext. 78.

Shred-a-thons held Oct. 13 and 22

Orange County Solid Waste Management will sponsor two free fall “Shred-A-Thons” in cooperation with University Mall, the Chapel Hill Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Orange County residents or local government employees may securely destroy and recycle their personal confidential documents at no cost.
Both events are from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and will take place:
• Thursday, Oct. 13—at University Mall on Estes Drive in Chapel Hill, near the Wachovia Bank Building. Held in conjunction with the Chapel Hill Police Department and University Mall.
• Saturday, Oct. 22—at Hampton Pointe Shopping Center, N.C. 86 in Hillsborough at the 24-hour recycling drop-off site located behind Home Depot. Held in conjunction with the Orange County Sheriff’s Dept.
There is a limit of 10 banker-box sized boxes or large bags full of paper per person, and only one trip per person. Do remove all plastic bags, plastic binders, folders, computer disks and other electronic media, bulldog clips, laminated paper or any other non-paper materials prior to bringing loads to the Shred-a-thon to help keep lines moving efficiently. Incidental staples or small paper clips are OK. The shredded paper will be recycled.
Shredding will take place on-site in full view of people delivering paper. The events are limited to Orange County residents, residents who live in the part of Chapel Hill located in Durham County or those working for the County or Towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough.