ECO’s Recycling Committee promotes city, county and regional recycling including curb-side pick-up, and advocacy towards improved recycling programs.  As a result of ECO’s work, the county has now hired a pro-recycling staff; has a plan in place to improve the transfer station facilities; and has taken some important first steps in establishing progressive solid wastes policies, but the work has only begun.  The committee educates the public and policymakers about best practices by speaking at Commission meetings, writing letters to the editor, holding public forums, and organizing eco-tours. People interested in recycling and waste reduction should come and visit the committee, which meets the third Tuesday of each month at 4:30 in the ECO conference room. Join us!

Solid Waste Advisory Committee

In order to study and improve recycling and solid waste issues in Henderson County, a public Solid Waste Advisory Committee meets regularly on the third Monday of every other month at 4:00pm at 100 North King Street. Visitors are welcome. This committee is made up of stakeholders in solid waste, from county staff and commissioners to citizens and private waste haulers.

Live in the county and have a recycling question ?
Click Henderson County Recycling  for a link to the county’s Solid Waste website, where you can find the recycling brochure and the guidelines on solid waste disposal. You can also contact Alexis Baker, Henderson County Environmental Programs Manager at (828) 694-6524.

Click here to read the Green Challenge Task Force Final Report 2009. The report includes future recycling plans for change in Hendersonville.

2010 Update on Efficiency in Waste Hauling: 

The Henderson County Board of Commissioners has ordered the Solid Waste Advisory Committee to stop work on its efficiency plan.  The Commissioners’ position at this time is that preserving free enterprise among waste haulers takes precedent over possible improved efficiency in the recycling of solid waste in Henderson County.  For further explanation, see the position paper below.

ECO Position on Efficiency in Waste Hauling – September 20, 2009

by Katie Breckheimer, former chair of the ECO Recycling Committee

Background information:

As part of the recommendation of the consultants hired to analyze the Henderson County Solid Waste system (referred to as the 2009 Feasibility Study), one of the recommendations is to ask county staff to work with the 18 independent waste haulers, who are permitted by the county to collect residential waste, to come up with an efficiency plan. This was presented to the county commissioners for a decision on August 3, 2009. A decision was made on September 16^th to separate out the capital improvement plan (which was approved on that date) and hold a special hearing /workshop regarding the efficiency plan. The language in the recommendation is soft regarding an efficiency plan. Franchising the haulers is only one way to do that. In 1998/99 the county commissioners voted down a controversial plan to franchise, much to the disappointment of those who had worked for months in preparation for it.

Natural Resource Conservation:

ECO wants natural resources preserved.  The State of North Carolina is requiring that more and more containers be recycled (bottles and cans) and the county can be fined for not having a good recycling plan and/or programs in place.  Click for NC GS 130A-309.10  state law on recycling.

• Computer monitors (intact)
• Servers
• Desktop Computers
• Notebook Computers Printers
• Scanners
• Fax Machines
• UPS systems
• Networking equipment
• Mice and Keyboards
• Cables
• Computer Speakers
• Digital Cameras
• PDAs
• Automotive Batteries (lead-acid)*
• Non-Rechargeable Household Batteries (e.g., AA, AAA, C, etc.)*
• Rechargeable Batteries*

*Batteries can also be recycled at the Henderson County Recycling Convenience Center during regular business hours.

Note:  Incandescent light bulbs can be disposed of in your household trash.  Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) can be recycled at Home Depot stores.

NCDENR recycling newsletter:

http://www.p2pays.org/rbac/newsletters.html

Henderson Co. Solid Waste Division

http://www.hendersoncountync.org/solidwaste/index.html

Henderson Co. Solid Waste Division (Composting section)

http://www.hendersoncountync.org/solidwaste/solidwastecomposting.html