Local News
Recycling: Take it to the curb
Editor's note: This is the second of three articles submitted by the Dalton-Whitfield Regional Solid Waste Management Authority. They can all be found on the Web site through "search our site."
We hope you read the first article in our series on recycling and were impressed by the many environmental and economic benefits of recycling - reduction in land, air and water pollution, energy savings, landfill space saved, trees saved and jobs supported. Now we want to make sure you know how easy it is for you to recycle in our community.
In 1991, Dalton recognized the importance of offering its citizens convenient, weekly curbside recycling collection and started a program using a private company to provide the service.
In 2003 the service was taken over by Dalton Public Works and continues to be offered to all city residents free of charge. All of the materials collected in the curbside recycling program are taken to the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority’s MRF – materials recovery facility.
There the recyclables are sorted into categories, picked through to remove any contaminants, baled and then sent to their specific markets to be used as feed stock in the manufacturing of new products.
1,792,000 pounds of recyclables were collected at the curb in 2008 and as a result almost 1,500 cubic yards of landfill space were saved. The city of Dalton not only reduced its landfill disposal fees by about $ 23,000 but also earned almost $ 27,000 in shared revenue from the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority. While these are impressive numbers for our community, they represent only 30-40 percent participation in the program. That’s right, less than half of the households in Dalton are taking advantage of this valuable service. If everyone who could participated in our curbside recycling program we could likely save twice as much landfill space and generate over $100,000 in avoided disposal fees and earned revenues.
So why doesn’t everyone who can recycle at the curb? Maybe they don’t know how the program works – maybe they don’t have a recycling bin and don’t know how to get one – maybe they don’t know what all can be recycled in the program – or maybe they think “my little bit doesn’t really make a difference.” With the hope of addressing these particular obstacles to curbside recycling, we offer the following information.
If you live in the city limits, you may simply call Dalton Public Works at (706) 278-7077 and request a recycling bin. There is no charge for the bin or for the pickup service. If you already have a bin and have more recyclables each week than will fit into the bin, just call for a second one. Then, all you do is put your recycling bin out at the curb alongside your garbage can. No sorting is required, just put all your recyclables into the bin and the city does the sorting. Garbage and recycling will be picked up on the same day. If you are not sure what day your garbage is picked up, call Public Works to confirm your day.
The bins come with a complete list of what all can go into them.
ALL PAPER
Magazines
Junk Mail
Envelopes
Newspaper
Flyers
Brochures
Writing, Typing and Computer paper
Books
CARDBOARD
“Flattened”
Corrugated Boxes
Paper tubes
Wrapping paper
Cereal boxes
File folders
Poster board
GLASS
Clear, Green, Brown and Blue glass Bottles and jars
Juice, Soda, Water, Beer, Wine, food jars
METALS
Aluminum cans
“tin” cans (food, juice, cat and dog food, etc.)
PLASTICS
#1 and #2 bottles and jars
(symbol on bottom of container)
Milk, juice, soda, water, laundry and health care products, etc.
Finally – “my little bit doesn’t really make a difference.” Every single recyclable item that can be recycled does make a difference. For instance, recycling just one aluminum can can save enough energy to run a TV for 3 hours; recycling one glass bottle can save enough energy to run a 100-watt light bulb for 4 hours. So you can see that a little bit really can make a big difference. So start recycling today. It is one thing each of us can do to make a difference in our community and our world. For more information, call Dalton Public Works at (706) 278-7077 or visit the city of Dalton’s Web site at www.cityofdalton-ga.gov (click on Departments, then Public Works, then Recycling Instructions).
If you are already recycling at the curb – thank you. If you are not recycling at the curb, now is the time to get involved. Every bottle, every can and every piece of paper makes a difference.
- Local News
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