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TALKING TRASH
March 2025: The Battery Fire Crisis
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 Prevent Fires by Responsibly Disposing of your Batteries
Batteries may seem harmless, but throwing them away can be dangerous. Lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes, phones, laptops, and toothbrushes often cause fires at recycling centers, landfills, and in garbage trucks. Fires in trucks sometimes force crews to dump waste on the street to prevent the truck from melting.
Despite the "chasing arrows" symbol, batteries should never go in your blue recycling or green garbage cart. They contain valuable minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel that specialty battery recyclers can recover. Use Waste Wizard, Call2Recycle, or Earth911 to find where you can safely dispose of batteries and help recover important materials. All battery retailers in North Carolina are required by law to accept batteries for recycling. Get a few bucks for your lead acid batteries by dropping them off at Wall Recycling or get store rewards at Staples when you recycle e-waste, batteries, and printer cartridges.
Wake County Household Hazardous Waste Facilities accept batteries and other hazardous waste, but the North Wake HHWF is currently closed due to a fire. It just takes a little time and effort to responsibly dispose of your batteries, but it protects workers, the environment, and you.
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 Late Season Leaves
Spring has sprung but there may be some late winter leaves lingering in your neighborhood. You have many disposal options when it comes to yard waste that include bagging and composting your leaves. You can also leave your leaves! Letting your leaves sit throughout spring allows essential pollinators like butterflies, moths, and native bees that have overwintered in your leaf litter to come out of their hibernation and benefit your garden. Late winter leaves also retain moisture, creating quality soil for your spring garden. In addition to leaving your leaves, consider a Low Mow Spring to support native wildflowers and pollinators.
 Earth Day
Join the City of Raleigh and We Plant it Forward on April 25th to celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day at Dix Park! There will be informational booths, activities, live music, a free tree giveaway, and much more. Get inspired with the Environmental Awards and learn how you can take environmental action. Bring your friends, family, and reusable water bottle!
Ask the Waste Wizard
Have any unanswered waste questions? Email Madeline Joslin (madeline.joslin@raleighnc.gov) to have your questions answered in next month's Talking Trash.
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 Just Doo It!
Everyone knows leaving your pet's waste in your neighbor's yard is rude, but did you know it is actually illegal? It may be tempting to leave your pet's waste after a long day, but it is a serious water pollutant and threat to human health.
Unlike human waste which is treated in wastewater treatment plants, abandoned dog waste infiltrates our stormwater system. When you don't pick up and throw away your dog's waste in the garbage, rain washes it into storm drains where it floats down creeks and streams to the Neuse River, the water supply to millions of North Carolinians. Animal waste is full of nitrogen and phosphorus which reduces dissolved oxygen levels, leading to algal blooms, fish kills, and dangerous swimming conditions.
For the health and safety of Solid Waste Services crews, it preferred that your bagged dog waste is not placed directly in the garbage cart. Dog waste bags can get stuck at the bottom of carts which is unpleasant and unhygienic for you and our garbage crews. In order to ensure your pet waste is dumped from your cart, please dispose of all your small waste bags in a larger garbage bag. Bag your your pet's waste to keep it from becoming a harm to human health and water pollutant.
 Yard Waste Center News
In celebration of Earth Day and International Compost Awareness, the Yard Waste Center is giving away free organic mulch and leaf mulch from April 22 - May 31! Residents can pick up organic mulch and leaf mulch during Yard Waste Center operating hours with a truck or trailer.
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New Waste Wizard Items!
Can't find what you're looking for in the Waste Wizard? Just click "Suggest Material" and SWS will add it to the ever growing directory of items with best disposal practices. Thanks to residents like you, the following items were recently added to the Waste Wizard:
- Awning
- Cat Tower
- Fast Food Paper Bag
- Lift Chair
- Lollipop Stick
- Plastic Baby Wipes Box
- Rain Barrel
- Salt Mill (Non-refillable)
- Shower Curtain Liner
- Sticker
- Wine Refrigerator
- Wood Toilet Seat
- Vinegar Bottle
Talking Trash is Raleigh's monthly newsletter about all things waste. Each month you will receive seasonal waste reduction tips, the latest SWS news, and links to helpful resources.
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