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RECYCLING EVENT - "Shredding Day"
Paper Shredding | Mattresses & Box Springs | Hazardous Waste
Clothing, Toys & Household Items
Next Event: October 2023 (check back for details)
- April 22, 2023 - Earth Day!
- 9:00am-Noon - rain or shine.
- High Plains Community Center, Orange.
- For RESIDENTIAL purposes. FREE!
- May end earlier if shredding truck fills up.
Paper Shredding handled by AFFORDABLE SOLUTIONS OF ORANGE, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Orange:
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BRING: Tax papers, bills, receipts, statements, and documents that contain personal, financial and/or medical information. No need to remove staples or elastic bands, but clips should be removed for reuse. For residential documents, not intended for businesses or medical offices.
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DO NOT BRING: Paper that is already shredded, newspapers, notebooks, plastic folders, and other papers and mail that can go in the regular residential recycling bins.
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NOTE: To give everyone a chance and to keep traffic moving, you may bring up to 6 copier sized boxes of papers. If you have more, you may and get back in line and come through again.
The secure, on-site paper shredding service will once again be handled by Affordable Solutions, owned and operated by Orange resident Joe Johnston. Residents may bring bags (preferably paper, not plastic) or boxes filled with documents for shredding. Residents who want their boxes or containers returned should tell a volunteer. This service is generously funded by the Rotary Club of Orange. Residents may show their appreciation by donating to the Orange Rotary Scholarship Fund. Rotarians will be on hand to collect donations. NEW in 2023, the club will collect food donations for the Purple Pantry. Items needed - not expired: peanut butter, canned tuna & chicken, tuna, sardines, Vienna sausage, pasta, tomato sauce, boxed mac & cheese, soup, and cereal.
Mattress & Box Spring Collection handled by the MATTRESS RECYCLING COUNCIL, with Orange Lions Club members available to transport items to HPCC:
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BRING: Mattresses and box springs. See below if you need assistance.
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DO NOT BRING: Some items will not be accepted: mattresses from futons/sofa beds or waterbeds; mattresses infested with bed bugs; wet, damaged or excessively soiled mattresses; and sleeping bags or mattress pads/toppers.
The Mattress Recycling Council's "Bye Bye Mattress" team will collect used mattresses and box springs of any size. Exceptions listed above. For residents needing assistance, members of the Orange Lions Club will pick up mattresses and box springs from residences, given items are outside and dry or in a garage for easy access, as volunteers will not enter individual homes. Anyone interested in this pick-up service should contact Ken Lenz at 203-795-3906. The fee for pick-up is $10 per mattress or box spring. Payment is by cash or check made out to Orange Lions Charities, and all proceeds are considered a charitable donation.
Residents may bring household chemicals, cleaners, auto fluids and more for proper disposal:
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BRING: See full list below.
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DO NOT BRING: Auto batteries, asbestos, propane tanks, electronics*, medicines, fire extinguishers. (*electronics go to Transfer Station). Fill out form in advance if possible. Otherwise, registration will be on-site.
Residents will drive to the designated area and Regional Water Authority HazWaste Central employees will take items from vehicles. Volunteers will help keep things moving. This event is in addition to regular Saturday drop-offs at Haz Waste Central in New Haven (March-October). Complete registration form in advance, if possible.
Diaper Bank
Household Items, Clothes, Toys and more collected by ORANGE COMMUNITY WOMEN:
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BRING: Clothing, shoes, purses, accessories; blankets, curtains, sheets, towels and other household textiles; housewares, dishes, small appliances, home decor; toys, sporting goods, stuffed animals.
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DO NOT BRING: Books, DVDs, CDs, VHS tapes, or large items.
Soft items should be brought in bags; hard items should be brought in boxes around the size of copier paper boxes.
In addition, the active Facebook Group "Buy Nothing Orange" will host a swap meet where residents can "gift" items they no longer want, and perhaps take home something they can use. The Buy Nothing Project is a worldwide initiative with local groups of residents who lend, give, and ask for items needed! See video of how Buy Nothing works. The Orange group started in 2020 and soared during the pandemic, enabling people to connect and have fun in a socially-distant, safe way, while decluttering their homes.
If you miss this drop-off, you may put old clothing and shoes in the Simple Recycling bin near the back parking area of community center. This bin is available 24/7 and the town gets paid for items deposited in it.
April 2023 will be the 15th time the Orange Recycling Committee hosts this ever-expanding event, which is sponsored by the Orange Rotary Club and powered by volunteers. We thank all who help make this a successful twice-yearly event!

SUCCESS! At this event, thousands of pounds of paper, multiple mattresses & box springs, many hazardous waste materials, and more are kept out of landfills and properly disposed of.
One example, April 2022:
Hazardous waste collection was added to the Paper Shredding and Mattress Recycling Event. Collected:
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9,500 lbs of confidential papers securely shredded
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33 mattresses and box springs
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169 cars dropped off haz waste (for future reference, fill out form in advance)
In addition, the Orange Community Women collected many bags of donated clothing, toys, and household goods. The items were sold to Savers, resulting in several hundred dollars for their charitable work. For future reference: See full list of accepted items.
The Orange Rotary Club sponsored the event. In appreciation, residents generously donated to their educational fund. The Lions Club of Orange earned donations by picking up residents' mattresses and bringing them to the event.
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