In celebration of Earth Day on April 22, the Orange Recycling Committee will host their twice-yearly recycling and shredding event at High Plains Community Center from 9 a.m. to noon. Known as “Shredding Day,” the event offers residents free secure document shredding as well as collection of household hazardous waste, mattresses and box springs, clothing and household goods.
Confidential personal documents such as tax papers, bank and credit card statements, medical records and other sensitive papers will again be shredded on-site by Affordable Solutions of Orange. This is for residential files only and is not intended for businesses. As this free service is funded by the Rotary Club of Orange, residents may show their appreciation by donating to the Orange Rotary Club Scholarship Fund. Rotarians will be on hand to collect donations.
Mattresses and box springs will again be collected by the Mattress Recycling Council’s “Bye Bye Mattress” team. Residents may bring items to the event and workers will load them into the collection truck. Alternatively, volunteers from the Orange Lions Club will pick up items from residential homes for a donation of $15 per item. Anyone interested in this service should contact Ken Lenz at 203-795-3906 to arrange pickup. Items must be outside and dry or in a garage for easy access, as volunteers will not enter homes.
Hazardous household chemicals will be collected by the Regional Water Authority’s HazWaste Central mobile unit. Residents may bring certain cleaners, pesticides, auto fluids (no auto batteries), simply drive to the designated area, and HazWaste Central employees will retrieve items from vehicles.
The Orange Community Women will collect clothing and household goods. Used clothing, shoes, accessories, sheets, blankets, towels, stuffed animals and other household textiles should be bagged. Toys, dishes, small appliances, sporting goods, household décor, DVDs, CDs, tapes and knick-knacks should be boxed, with books boxed separately.
Orange Recycling Committee Chair Mitch Goldblatt asks residents to follow signs and directions when entering Tribute Way (just south of the community center near the grassy parking area). Paper shredding and mattress/box spring collection will be in the front parking lot, hazardous waste collection will be at the lower pavilion behind the building, and clothing and household item collection will be at the upper pavilion.
High Plains Community Center is located at 525 Orange Center Rd. For more information, visit orangerecycles.com or follow facebook.com/ORCinCT.