After Action Report For the October 18, 2025 3-in-1 Community Recycling Event

A big thank you to all our 14 amazing volunteers—Stephen Boyd, Tony Carroll, Tony Daniels, Jon Darling, Jess Fearrington, Spring Jackson, Randy James, Art Lituchy, Mike Petruska, Eddie Price, Marilyn Racine, Karin Ritter, Maarten Simon-Thomas, and Maggie Tunstall! Thanks to their efforts, we processed 215 vehicles—more than one per minute—and managed to handle an impressive 4,080 pounds of paper, more than two tons! This paper is now on its way to being recycled into toilet paper at a production facility in Georgia. I would also like to acknowledge the financial support of the FHA Board in funding the Shimar Recycling Shredding Truck.

Recycled paper is proven to save trees and other resources: Recycling two tons (4,080 lbs) of paper has a significant positive impact on the environment. It can save 34 trees, 760 gallons of oil, 6 cubic yards of landfill space, 8,000 kWh of energy, and 14,000 gallons of water. Additionally, the 34 trees preserved can absorb about 500 lbs of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year, while burning that same ton of paper would release 3,000 lbs of carbon dioxide. Overall, recycled paper generates 74% less air pollution compared to paper made from raw materials.

The North Chatham Volunteer Fire Department sent three members, who did a much appreciated job checking fire extinguishers, as well as sharing fire prevention tips.

The Chatham County Sheriff's Department collected just over 20 pounds of no longer needed medications during this event, which is a lot of medicines that won't end up polluting nearby water sources including Jordan Lakeour source of drinking water. The medications go to an approved commercial incineration facility for environmentally sensitive disposal.

The numerical statistics are one measure of the success of the event.  Another, equally   -  if not MORE IMPORTANT measure   -   is the huge number of  "Thank Yous"  that I heard from our fellow residents as I greeted them upon their arrival. This is a very popular program, that our fellow residents very much appreciate.   

THANK YOU, again, for your enthusiastic participation !     

Planning ahead, consider circling the third Saturday in May (May 16, 2026) on your calendar, when we will have the opportunity to replicate and perhaps expand the yield of our fall 2026 community recycling efforts.

Jason Welsch

Moderator, Fearrington Green Scene

Announcing the FHA/Green Scene Fall October October 18, 2025 Recycling Event

FOR FEARRINGTON AND GALLOWAY RIDGE RESIDENTS ONLY.

FHA In Partnership with The GREEN SCENE
Saturday, October 18, 2025  Only Between 9:00am and Noon
3 Events — 1 Day: Gathering Place Parking Lot.  

THIS EVENT IS SPONSORED BY THE FHA.


1. FREE SHREDDING

Have your confidential documents destroyed on-site, free of charge. Watch as Shimar Recycling Inc. shreds your documents.

Guidelines:
    • Bound paper stacks one inch thick or more need to be separated 
    • Remove rubber bands and heavy banker's paper clips from papers 
    • Paper should not be in binders or heavy plastic.
    • In addition to the bulleted items listed above, If you bring paper in Banker’s Boxes or file storage boxes (both of which are size 24x12x10) to be shredded, NOTE that there is a limit of such paper content from ONLY up to a maximum of 5 (five) such boxes that will be accepted for shredding.   


2. PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE DISPOSAL

The Chatham County Sheriff’s Department will be available to safely dispose of all your old, unused, or expired prescription medications safely and legally.

All you need to do is leave them in the original packaging and hand them to the sheriff deputy on duty at the Gathering Place. No liquid medication or "sharps" (needles) are accepted. Remember: NEVER FLUSH medicines as they cause environmental issues.  

AN ALTERNATIVE TO THROWING AWAY YOUR CURRENT UNUSED, UNWANTED PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES: consider donating them to Chatham Cares Community Pharmacy [CCCP] in Siler City, a non-profit community-based organization operated by a licensed pharmacist and committed to reducing health disparities by providing access to quality pharmacy services to the low-income, uninsured, and underinsured residents of Chatham County. Read all about it here.

3. FIRE EXTINGUISHER CHECK Fall 2024 Information -- Stopping Fires In Your Home With Smoke Alarms And Fire Extinguishers. 

The mission of the North Chatham Volunteer Fire Department is to protect lives, property and the community environment from the destructive effects of fire, disaster or other life hazards by providing public education, incident prevention and emergency response services. The department will have staff and firefighters on hand at the event to check your fire extinguisher and to advise on how to safely use it. 
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REMEMBER that we are no longer able to accept Household Hazardous Waste at our events; however, the County Will Accept Such Waste on This Same Day.


One of Chatham County’s 2024 Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Events will be held on this same day (October 18, 2025) at the County’s Main Recycling Facility approximately 13 miles from Fearrington Village, at [click the address for a MAP28 County Services Road, (which is just 6 miles west of Pittsboro, off Hwy 64), between 9:00 am - 3:00 pm on the following schedule:


After the County's May event, there will be six more REMAINING 2025 COUNTY HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE EVENTS scheduled for the following Saturdays 

(Chatham County Residents Only) 


New starting July 2025: Decals are nowrequired to use HHW events, except for those residents who live in the town limits of Siler City. All residents will also be asked to show a driver’s license or item with the address of where the waste is coming from. Residents of the town limits of Apex, Cary, Goldston, and Pittsboro that do not have a decal, are not allowed to use the HHW facility.

 

The September Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) will be Saturday, SOctober 18th from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. HHW events are a way for residents to dispose of hazardous materials safely, such as oil-based paints, stains, bleach, cleaners, aerosols, batteries, propane tanks, etc. Residents can bring 20 gallons of latex paint cans per event. Latex paint can be safely dried out and put in with your regular trash.


For a complete list of accepted items visit:   www.chathamcountync.gov/hhw or contact the Solid Waste & Recycling Division at 919-542-5516 or recycle@chathamcountync.gov.


HHW events are the third Saturday each month through November.


  • March 15
  • April 12* (second Saturday due to Easter)
  • May 17
  • June 21
  • July 19*
  • August 16
  • September 20
  • October 18 (same day as our community recycling event) 
  • November 15*

*The Sheriff’s Office will be on-site during these HHW events to conduct a medicine takeback. Learn more details below.

No business waste and no trash will be accepted.

Note that household fire extinguishers must be recycled at one of these scheduled Hazardous Waste Collection Events and cannot be recycled at the County regional Collection Centers. If it is from a business it will NOT be accepted at HHW events. Contact a private company for disposal options.

At HHW events, the county accepts such items as oil-based paints, solvents, stains, bleach, aerosols, cleaners, pesticides, brake fluid, fluorescent light bulbs, propane tanks, etc. Residents can bring 20 gallons of latex paint cans per HHW event. If you have a 1-gallon paint can that has half a gallon of paint in it, it will count as 1 gallon. Latex paint can be safely dried out and put in with your regular trash.

For a complete list, please visit the www.chathamcountync.gov/hhw or contact the Solid Waste & Recycling Division at 919-542-5516 or recycle@chathamcountync.gov.

For information on what items are accepted by the County's HHW program, be sure to visit their website.