SANTA ANA, Calif. – OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) invites the community to take the pledge to incorporate reducing, reusing and recycling into their daily routine. Beginning November 1 and culminating on America Recycles Day (ARD), November 15, the County will be promoting fun online activities, recycling tips, educational outreach and a social media contest for the chance to win family four-pack of tickets to Discovery Cube Orange County (DCOC).

The holiday season typically generates additional waste. Instead of tossing out unwanted items, residents can pledge to recycle and properly dispose of the excess. Recycling during the holiday season and year-round can be as simple as following these three steps:

Step one, reduce. Reduce the amount of material you use and think twice before purchasing something new.

Step two, re-use. Before tossing an item into the wastebasket, consider if it can be re-used or re-purposed.

Step three, recycle. Most plastics, aluminum cans and unbroken glass containers typically can go into your curbside recycling bin.

OCWR is partnering with DCOC to promote proper recycling. Residents who pledge to recycle, via social media, can earn a chance to win a family four-pack of tickets to DCOC to see the new Organic World of Waste Lab, which offers hands-on learning about composting. To participate, residents must follow OCWR on social media @ocwaste. Winners will be chosen at random; for full contest details visit OCLandfills.com/America-recycles-day.

Small steps can make a big difference. Recycling just one aluminum can save enough energy to light a 100-watt light bulb for 20 hours and a television for two hours. The same can if tossed into a landfill will take 80 -100 years to degrade. Kick off good recycling habits leading up to America Recycles Day and keep them in practice throughout the year. Pledging to recycle is part of America Recycles Day®, a Keep America Beautiful® national program, and is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to promoting recycling in the United States.

OCWR’s OCRecycleGuide.com is a resource for people looking to recycle odd items and directs the public to various recycling options. In addition to recycling, it is also important to make sure hazardous items like batteries, paints and household cleaners do not make it into our landfills. Orange County is home to four Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers located in Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Irvine and San Juan Capistrano. The centers are open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. OCWR online recycling education, tips and quizzes can be found at OCLandfills.com/learn.

About OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR)

OCWR serves the County’s solid waste disposal needs by providing waste management services, operating public landfills, protecting the local environment, investing in renewable energy enterprises and promoting recycling in order to ensure a safe and healthy community for current and future generations. The department manages one of the nation's premier solid waste disposal systems, serving residents and businesses in the County’s 34 cities and unincorporated areas. OCWR’s three active landfills reflect environmental engineering at its best. Learn more by visiting the OCWR website at OCLandfills.com.

About Discovery Cube Orange County (DCOC)

Discovery Cube, the leading children’s science museum in Southern California, is committed to inspiring, educating and impacting children of all ages through engaging, hands-on science-based programs, exhibits and interactive adventures. Discovery Cube was named one of the 10 "Most Trusted Brands" in Orange County and received the award for the National Medal of Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. In 2020, Discovery Cube unveiled a digital-first approach to online learning and science education with the launch of Discovery Cube Connect, a digital platform to Discovery Cube’s onsite STEM exhibits as well as interactive and online educational offerings. For more information, visit discoverycube.org  

and discoverycubeconnect.org