Earlier this month, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen approved the Solid Waste Advisory Group’s inter-local waste management and recycling agreement, after years of negotiation.

Orange County municipal and university governing bodies still need to vote to pass the agreement individually, but Carrboro Mayor Lydia Lavelle says she thinks all of the stakeholders are satisfied and that the plan might go into action by December.

Lavelle says the agreement acts as the guiding document for how area towns the university operate recycling and waste management services, and promotes future collaboration around this issue.

“We finally were able to hammer out an agreement that works for all of us,” Lavelle says, “and my understanding is each municipality below the county is going to be approving it, if they haven’t already, by December.”

The agreement required hard conversations regarding financial and logistical challenges from different stakeholders, Lavelle said, making this a significant accomplishment.

One key aspect of the agreement has every household in Orange County paying the same amount for waste management services. Some pushed for varying fees, given the extra cost of rural waste pick-up, but Lavelle says collaboration helps everyone tackle their sustainability goals.

“Even though it might be more cost efficient to pick up recycling in a dense area, versus a house on an isolated road out in the county,” Lavelle says, “it all goes towards the same goal of reducing our greenhouse gases, working towards protecting our environment and establishing best practices.”

The Solid Waste Advisory Group (SWAG) is a multi-jurisdictional task force established in 2014 to handle the area’s solid waste issues. One of SWAG’s core missions since its inception has been an inter-local agreement on waste management.

Related Stories
‹
Memorial Day to Affect Local Government Services Around Orange County (2025)
The observation of Memorial Day on Monday, May 26 will affect multiple local government services around the Orange County community. Here’s a complete list of which services in which towns will be moved due to the holiday: Town of Chapel Hill Memorial Day is an official town holiday. Most town and other administrative offices will […]
Uproar Festival of Public Art to Return to Orange County in August
The Uproar Festival of Public Art returns this August to showcase large-scale, bold works of art outdoors in Orange County.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to Affect Local Government Services (2025)
The observation of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 20 will affect local government services around the Orange County community. Here’s what residents can expect this year: Town of Chapel Hill Town offices will be closed on Monday. Residential trash normally collected on Monday will be collected on Wednesday, January 22. Curbside recycling […]
Christmas Holiday to Affect Local Government Services in Orange County (2024)
The Christmas holiday will affect several local government services. Here’s a rundown of what Orange County residents can expect.
Thanksgiving Holiday to Affect Local Government Services in Orange County
Thanksgiving will fall on Thursday, Nov. 28 this year, and the holiday will affect several local government services around the Orange County community. Here’s a rundown of what residents can expect: Town of Chapel Hill Thursday, Nov. 28 and Friday, Nov. 29 are both town holidays. Residential trash collection will not be affected. However, there […]
Here Are Ways You Can Donate to Local Drives for Hurricane Helene Relief
After Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina last week, numerous local organizations, businesses and schools have set up donation drives to help those affected. Below is a list of drives around our area, in alphabetical order by the group: All About Insurance shifted its regular Sock-Tober clothing drive to exclusively support Hurricane Helene relief efforts. […]
Here's What To Expect Around the Community for the Fourth of July Holiday (2024)
The celebration of Independence Day will occur on Thursday, July 4. Several events are scheduled around the Orange County community, and numerous local government services will be affected. Here’s what will and won’t be happening this week: Town of Chapel Hill All Chapel Hill administrative offices will be closed on Thursday. Curbside recycling will not […]
Memorial Day to Affect Local Government Services Around Orange County (2024)
The observation of Memorial Day on Monday, May 27 will affect multiple local government services around Orange County. Here’s a complete list of which services in which towns will be moved due to the holiday: Town of Chapel Hill Memorial Day is an official town holiday. Town and other administrative offices will be closed. Residential […]
Easter Weekend to Affect Local Government Services
The observation of Good Friday on March 29 will alter several government services around Orange County. Here’s what residents can expect: Town of Chapel Hill Good Friday is an official town holiday. Residential trash collection will not be affected, but collection of yard trimmings, curbside recycling and commercial trash will not occur on Friday. Recycling […]
Local Service Award Winners Honored at UNC Men's Basketball Game
The Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro honored its 2023 Service Award winners before the UNC men’s basketball team’s game at the Smith Center on Wednesday night. Eleven winners in total were recognized for their outstanding work. The winners were joined on court by several other members of the service community, including Carrboro mayor Barbara […]
›