President's Day Collection Schedule

City of Charlotte Solid Waste Services will collect garbage, recycling, yard waste and bulky items on Monday, February 19, 2018. 

How to Prepare For Collection ::

• Do not overfill carts or place items outside of the cart. Items outside the rollout carts will not be collected. 
• Please ensure that the lid on your garbage and recycling rollout carts are down. 
• Please place the cart within six feet of the curb and with the handle facing toward your property. Do not block the sidewalk. 
• Please allow three feet of space between collection items and other obstacles such as mailboxes, phone poles and vehicles.
• Place the cart at the curb no later than 6:00 am on your scheduled collection day. 
• Place the cart at the curb no sooner than the day before collection. The cart must be removed from the curb by midnight on the day of collection. A minimum $150 citation may be issued if you place the cart at the curb sooner than the day before collection or leave it at the curb past midnight on your collection day. 
• All recyclables should be loose in the cart. Recyclables should not be bagged. 
• For recycling: no plastic bags. Plastic bags aren't accepted and should be recycled at local grocery store. Styrofoam and plastic plates and cups should be thrown in the garbage. 
• For yard waste and bulky waste preparation tips visit our item preparation quick tips page. 

What Can You Do With Those Valentine's Day Gifts?

Love is in the air! Valentine's Day is quickly approaching, which means flowers and chocolates galore. Greeting cards, gift boxes, and chocolate candy wrappers usually head to the garbage can after Valentine's Day - but they shouldn't! Did you know there are ways to use these things (and others) to keep them from going to the landfill? Before you head to the garbage can, consider the following ::  

Greeting cards - Reuse the cards and use the fun designs for crafts or decorations and when you're done, recycle them.

Gift boxes, tissue and wrapping paper - Reuse all for other gifts. Recycle the boxes and the gift wrap (except foil gift wrap which needs to be thrown in the garbage).

Packing boxes and bubble wrap - Reuse the boxes and bubble wrap; once finished, recycle the boxes. Bubble wrap can be taken to groceries such as Food Lion, Publix and Harris Teeter to be recycled.  

Boxes of chocolate and candy wrappers - Upcycle the boxes; turn them into organizers for jewelry, hair bows, safety pins, etc. Place all candy wrappers in the garbage.

Flower vases - Reuse or re-gift the vases until they're ready to be recycled.

Miscellaneous items (i.e stuffed animals, clothes or accessories) - These items can be donated to Goodwill, Salvation Army or Crisis Assistance Ministry.   

Food Too Good to Waste Challenge Begins March 11

The Challenge

The Food Too Good To Waste Challenge is a six-week challenge that teaches participants how to improve their health by simply eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, shopping more efficiently and implementing waste diversion and reduction strategies into their daily routine. 

Why? 

To save money on groceries, lose weight and feel better. Still not convinced? Check this out…the EPA estimates that food waste is the number one thing in garbage AND this waste, mixed with all the other things we throw away, creates methane gas that is emitted from landfills. This methane gas has a negative impact on our health and the environment.

How do you participate? 

Participants are asked to : 

1. Separate food waste.
2. Weigh waste.
3. Record findings online.
4. Share experiences.
5. Track savings!

Register today!

In previous challenges, participants reported losing weight, becoming aware and more dedicated to reducing waste and thoroughly enjoying the experience. The next challenge beginning March 11. Register here to take the challenge.