Chesapeake Recycles Day

Chesapeake Recycles Day Events

All events are held from 9 a.m. to noon unless otherwise specified.

2023 Event Schedule:

• March 18 - South Norfolk Southgate Shopping Center
• April 22 - Western Branch Chesapeake Square Mall
• October 14 - Greenbrier Sentara College of Health Sciences
• November 4 - Tidewater Community College Chesapeake Campus

What to Bring

Goodwill, Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA), and Shred-It are partnering with us to collect a wide variety of items at each of our events. In general, accepted items will include electronics, clothing, household items, household hazardous waste, and sensitive documents. View a list of eligible items and important exclusions for each drop-off station.

What Is Not Accepted

• Plastic Bags (please recycle at a local store)
• Tires
• Tube TVs (flat panel TVs 42 inches and smaller only!)
• Business items (personal only - items brought in a business-labeled vehicle cannot be accepted)
• For shredding, no magazines, books, CDs, disks, or any non-sensitive documents (junk mail, blank envelopes, etc.).

Please also note the following disposal limitations:

• Household Hazardous Waste: No more than 5 gallons of liquid or 75 pounds of solid waste
• Shredding: No more than 3 copy paper boxes or 3 paper grocery bags

Shredding Not Done On-Site

We can accept no more than 3 copy paper boxes or paper grocery bags worth of sensitive documents. Plastic bags and oversized boxes will not be accepted. Please make sure you are only shredding documents with sensitive information. Magazines, envelopes and documents that do not contain any personal information should be recycled, not shredded. Documents will no longer be shredded on-site but will be transported in a secure truck to Shred-It's local shredding facility. Learn more about Shred-It's shredding process (PDF).

Goodwill Electronics Recycling Program

Many people have concerns over how their electronics, many of which store personal information, will be handled once they're handed over to Goodwill. Goodwill works through the Dell Reconnect Program (PDF) for all of their electronics recycling. They wipe/destroy all data storage devices to meet Department of Defense specifications. They are under a third-party inspection process as well as camera surveillance when doing so. All remanufactured equipment is built around clean hard drives and only Microsoft Certified Vendor software is installed. None of the electronics you donate to them will end up in a landfill or shipped out of the USA.

Please note that Goodwill cannot accept any TV other than flat-screen TVs. Goodwill can only accept TVs up to 42 inches in screen size (measured diagonally.) No older CRT/tube TVs will be accepted. Visit the Best Buy website for local options on TV recycling.

We Need Volunteers!

It takes many hands to make these events run smoothly. Are you available to help us out on the day of any of these events? Please let us know! Email Allison Harper.

Year-Round Recycling & Disposal

Can't make the next Chesapeake Recycles Day? There are year-round options available for you!

• Electronics: Your local Goodwill accepts electronics and other household items whenever their stores are open.
• Household Hazardous Waste: Bring your household hazardous waste to SPSA's Greenbrier Transfer Station, 901 Hollowell Lane, on the first Wednesday or third Saturday of the month between 9 a.m. and noon.
• Plastic Bags: Bring plastic bags to your local grocery store where they usually have a bin by the door to collect plastic bags.

Event Capacity & Cut-Off Policy

Chesapeake Recycles Day events are most often scheduled for Saturday mornings from 9 am to noon. Planning and hosting these events requires months of coordination between the City of Chesapeake, our event vendors (Shred-It, Goodwill, SPSA, etc.) as well as the property owners who allow us to use their facilities. While we work diligently to anticipate the demand for drop-off services, there may be situations where our vendors reach capacity in their provided vehicles and storage bins. Due to the advanced planning required to host these events, we are unable to order additional storage capacity on event day should our vendors reach capacity on drop-offs and donations, and reserve the right to shut down the event as circumstances dictate. We will make every effort to ensure we service as many residents in line as possible, but please be aware that ultimately we may be required to shut down the event early or turn away those in line if our vendors reach capacity. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and will work to host as many events as is feasible to meet the demands of our residents.

Severe Weather Policy

The City of Chesapeake will make every attempt to hold planned events at their original date and time, but severe weather may impact event schedule and operations. The City will host Chesapeake Recycles Day events in normal rainfall, but if lightning is present, City staff will pause the event and staff/volunteers will seek shelter for no less than 30 minutes following the last witnessed lightning/audible thunder. Additionally, City staff will pause the event if winds exceed 30 miles per hour at any time, resuming only if winds subside. Based on timing, severe weather conditions may force events to be ended ahead of their normally scheduled end time. These events will not be extended in duration following any unscheduled pauses or weather-related safety stand-downs, as our vendors are contracted for the pre-determined time slots and cannot be extended on the day of the event. While we apologize for any inconvenience cancellations or unscheduled early end times may produce, the safety of residents, volunteers, vendors and City staff is paramount and must be prioritized.

Virginia Green Certified Event

Great news! Chesapeake Recycles Day has received Virginia Green certification! Virginia Green encourages green practices in tourism throughout the Commonwealth. Learn more about Virginia Green.