Concord's Fall Safe Disposal Event is moving to West Cabarrus High School on Saturday, Oct. 24, a switch the city says was made to handle growing turnout.
The free, drive-thru event lets residents drop off lithium-ion batteries, old electronics, expired medications and sensitive paper documents. The City of Concord, Cabarrus County Government and Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont co-host the event twice a year. Previous editions were held at the Village Shopping Center on Concord Parkway South.
The event is open to residents only. Businesses and organizations cannot drop off items.
What you can bring:
- Paper documents such as tax forms and medical records, limited to five trash bags or banker's boxes per person
- Electronic waste including televisions, computers and other devices
- Unused or expired medications (no needles accepted)
- Lithium-ion batteries with no quantity limit; each battery must be placed in a clear, sealed bag such as a Ziploc bag
The Concord Police Department will be on site to handle medication disposal.
Proper battery disposal is a safety issue for the city. Three Concord garbage and recycling trucks have caught fire due to lithium-ion batteries since 2023, according to a city announcement for the spring event in May. The batteries, commonly found in laptops, smartphones and power tools, can spark fires in collection trucks, at the landfill and at the recycling center when tossed in household garbage or recycling carts.
West Cabarrus High School is located at 4100 Weddington Rd. in Concord. Drivers should enter through the entrance near Iveywood Place NW and Fairway Drive NW and follow posted signage.
Residents who cannot attend on Oct. 24 can dispose of lithium-ion batteries year-round at the Cabarrus County Household Hazardous Waste Facility.
Coming up
The Safe Disposal Event returns each spring and fall. The next edition is expected in spring 2027.
