Summer is a great time to enjoy cookouts, gardening, and outdoor activities—but it can also be a season of increased waste. By adopting a few simple habits, you can reduce the amount of trash created and help conserve resources for future generations. When shopping, consider environmental impact, because mindful purchasing is a simple way to reduce waste. Choose durable, reusable items, buy only what’s needed, and reuse when possible. Easily Reduce Usage of Single-Use Product

What should you do if you’re unsure if an item is recyclable? Is it better to put it in with your recyclables or throw it in the trash? Many people choose the first option, hoping the item can be recycled. Unfortunately, that well-intentioned practice – known as “wishcycling” – can increase costs and harm recycling efforts. Wishcycling is when people put items in recycling, thinking or hoping those materials will get recycled. But if those items aren’t accepted in the local r

State Senator James Maroney spoke with Rob Harrigan, Associate Public Works Director in Milford, and got clarification on some recycling do's and dont's. See 3 short videos that answer questions and offer helpful ideas. NOTE: While this takes place at the Milford Transfer Station, much of it is the same for Orange (more details at Orange Transfer Station & Recycling Center).

Don’t Toss It—Recycle It! Residents of Orange now have an easy and convenient way to properly recycle some commonly discarded household items. New drop-off bins for batteries and lightbulbs have been added at the Orange Transfer Station & Recycling Center, expanding the town’s commitment to reducing waste and protecting the environment. These clearly marked bins are housed within the Electronics Recycling trailer, to the right of the info booth. The battery and lightbulb recy

Residents of Orange now have more opportunities to safely, conveniently, and responsibly dispose of common household items. Thanks to a new partnership with Take 2 Recycling, residents may now recycle a broader range of electronics along with household batteries and lightbulbs – all at the Orange Transfer Station & Recycling Center. Recycling, rather than throwing items away, helps protect the environment by keeping toxic materials out of landfills, thus reducing pollution in

Orange now offers more ways to recycle than ever—and every effort makes a difference. With convenient weekly curbside pickup and easy-to-use drop-off options at the Orange Transfer Station & Recycling Center (and other places in town), it’s simple for residents to make a real difference. And yet, recycling rates have gone down since last year and two full truckloads were recently rejected because they contained non-recyclable items. When that happens, the whole load becomes t

The classic cling wrap we know and use isn’t as harmless as it looks. Most plastic wraps, are made from a petroleum-based plastic that’s non-recyclable, non-reusable and can release toxins harmful to people and the environment.

Interested in recycling more things? Here are some of the many opportunities to do so in Orange. Curbside recycling in Orange is centered around the blue mixed recycling bin. Residents are encouraged to use these bins for a wide array of recyclables, including paper, cardboard, metal cans, plastic containers and glass bottles. Details on what can and cannot go in the bin, along with pickup schedules, are available through the town’s recycling program. This single-stream appro

It’s the time of year when we use pumpkins and gourds for display. They should not be thrown out in the trash because all parts of a healthy, untreated pumpkin can be composted, including the skin, flesh, seeds and stems. They all break down readily. You can compost at home or drop them off in the food scrap collection bins at the Orange Transfer Station and Recycling Center. You can also feed the wildlife by chopping the pumpkin into smaller pieces and leaving it out for bir

The Orange Recycling Committee will hold another Shredding Day on Saturday, Oct. 25 from 9 a.m. to noon at High Plains Community Center. The event will include document shredding, electronics recycling, mattress collection and clothing and household goods collection. “This event offers residents a convenient and responsible way to dispose of various household items while promoting sustainability and environmental consciousness,” said Mitch Goldblatt, chair of the committee. H

As the summer season winds down, we often come across unique items that leave us wondering how to recycle or dispose of them properly. Here are some common ones: Sunscreen bottles/tubes: Hard plastic sunscreen bottles can be recycled, but remember to empty them before tossing them in the recycling bin. On the other hand, flexible tubes of sunscreen (similar to toothpaste tubes) are not recyclable due to the multiple layers of different materials. These tubes should be placed

Ah, summertime, with its blue skies, flowering trees and shrubs, and warm temperatures. We also get to enjoy the delicious fruit and vegetables at our local farm stands. Not only is their produce delicious and nutritious, it’s a great way to support our local farms and farmers. The Orange Community Farmer’s Market is held at High Plains Community Center at 525 Orange Center Rd. every Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. from the last Thursday in June through the last Thursday in

We hear the word bamboo and might picture pandas munching on it in China. Bamboo is a fast-growing grass that regenerates quickly from its roots, requiring minimal replanting. Compared to many other crops, bamboo requires significantly less water and doesn’t need pesticides or fertilizers to grow. Bamboo forests are effective carbon sinks, which means they absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide and release more oxygen than trees. When trees are cut down, the climate and ecosy

Paper towels are a common single-use and increasingly expensive product, and they have a significant environmental impact worldwide.

Join us for a fun and informative event at the library! Get ideas and learn about ways to responsibly dispose of all sorts of stuff...

Shredded paper cannot be combined with our other recycling. In fact, shredded paper is a huge problem for recycling facilities.

Did you know that Connecticut was at the forefront of an important recycling effort? Yes, Connecticut was the first state in the US to pass a statewide mattress recycling law in 2013.

What happens when medications are disposed of improperly? They end up in our ecosystems, leaving a lasting imprint on wildlife, water systems and potentially human health.

When it comes to laundry, we can choose from a wide range of great sustainable products that don’t use harmful plastics and chemicals

We’re all familiar with the 3Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle. We’re also aware of environmental concerns and sometimes feel overwhelmed by