Education

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Are you looking for someone to talk about recycling, waste management, or waste reduction efforts? Or just want to learn more about programs and services offered. Chatham County Solid Waste & Recycling is able to offer a variety of educational opportunities anywhere in the county for free. We have presentations, activities, and lessons available for all ages and types of audiences!

We have participated in the following types of events:

Interactive presentations at schools and day care centers
Presentations to homeowners associations or neighborhood groups
Presentations to community groups like Ruritan Club or Scouts
Tours of collection centers and recycling facilities
Tabling at community events, with activities for children
Summer camp presentations

Our education staff is open to participating in any events to help provide education to residents of Chatham County.

For events with a mostly adult audience and tabling events, please contact Shannon Culpepper, Recycling and Education Specialist at shannon.culpepper@chathamcountync.gov or (919) 545-7874.
For events with an audience that is mostly children (18 and under), please contact Anayancy Estacio, Education Program Coordinator at anayancy.estacio@chathamcountync.gov or (919) 545-7866.

Recycling Facility Tours

Have you ever wondered what happens to the recyclables you put in your bin? They go to a material recovery facility (MRF) to be sorted. Learn about this step in the recycling process through a tour of the MRF that Chatham County uses. Solid Waste & Recycling is providing two free tours in November, transportation is included.

There are two tours scheduled in November:

Wednesday, November 19 from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm
Thursday, November 20 from 12:30 to 4:30 pm

The tour times include travel time to and from the Solid Waste & Recycling Main Facility- 28 County Services Road, Pittsboro. All attendees must take the provided transportation as parking is limited at the facility.

The tour requires walking up and down narrow stairs and surfaces that may be slippery. Part of the visit will take place in a room, so if someone isn’t able to join in the walking portion it will still be informative.

To register for one of the tours, please complete the registration form by Wednesday, November 12. Registration is limited to 19 attendees per tour. You may register yourself and family/friends on one registration form.

Questions? Contact Shannon Culpepper, Recycling & Education Specialist at shannon.culpepper@chathamcountync.gov or 919-545-7874.

Programs Offered

Click on the bar below to learn more about the on-going programs our education staff offers.

Don't Waste It! Educator Guide

Don't Waste It Logo Solid Waste & Recycling created an educator guide- Don’t Waste It! It is an educator guide to waste management, recycling, composting, and waste reduction, which includes 11 lessons covering five themes: municipal solid waste, recycling, plastics, composting, and landfills.

Don’t Waste It! is for both formal and non-formal educators with lessons for pre-K to 12th graders that can easily be adapted for adult audiences. Each lesson includes a group activity, independent practice, extensions, and additional activities. View a list of the lesson descriptions.

You can only receive a copy of Don’t Waste It! by attending a full day or online workshop. The workshop will provide a base of knowledge needed to teach each lesson and run through many of the lessons. See below for the list of upcoming workshops.

There are additional activities included in Don't Waste It! that are available for free online through the Educator Check Out Program. They are great to pair with lessons or do on their own, but are not correlated to standards.

Chatham County partnered with Environmental Educators of North Carolina (EENC) and received an Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Education grant to expand Don't Waste It! to other states in the Southeast- Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Florida. Contact Shannon Culpepper to connect you to other states.

Contact Shannon Culpepper, Recycling and Education Specialist at shannon.culpepper@chathamcountync.gov or (919) 545-7874.

Don't Waste It! Workshops

Don't Waste It Logo Don't Waste It! is a North Carolina Environmental Educators Criteria I workshop. Workshop participants can receive Criteria I hours or continuing education units (CEUs).

The Don't Waste It! guide is being updated, so workshops are currently on hold. We hope to hold future workshops in early 2026. We will post more details here when workshops are scheduled.

We are able to hold Don’t Waste It! workshops anywhere in North Carolina. Those interested in hosting a workshop in your area please contact Shannon Culpepper- Recycling and Education Specialist at 919-545-7874 or shannon.culpepper@chathamcountync.gov.

Workshop Cancellation- If you need to cancel your registration, you must contact the facilitator or Shannon Culpepper at least one week prior to the workshop date. Credit will be offered to attend a future Don't Waste It! workshop. Refunds will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Educator Check Out Program

Waste & Recycling Enthusiast Program (WREP)

WREP- W is a worm and E is a plastic bottle

Solid Waste & Recycling has a new program for those Chatham County residents interested in learning more about recycling, waste reduction, composting, environmental justice, and want to participate in community engagement. The Waste and Recycling Enthusiast Program (WREP) includes a series of six classes on Thursday evenings in September and October.

Applications will open June 1 and close August 1. Learn more about WREP and how to sign up at www.chathamcountync.gov/wrep

If you have questions about WREP, please contact Anayancy Estacio, Education Program Coordinator, at anayancy.estacio@chathamcountync.gov or (919) 545-7866.