Curbside recycling on the rise in Dalton

By: Kelly Jackson, Chattanooga Times Free Press

DALTON, Ga. — By the year’s end, city residents will have recycled more than 1,000 tons of household waste.

It’s the most the city has collected in one year with its curbside recycling program, which started in 2003, said Harvey Levitt, operations manager for the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Management Authority.

City Public Works Director Benny Dunn said the number is up this year because “we’ve just got more folks” recycling.

Awareness of the city’s curbside recycling program has grown since the city went from twice-weekly garbage pickup to just once a week in 2008. Officials advocated the city’s free weekly recycling service as a way to reduce trash.

But figures show there’s still room for improvement. Reece Carroll, operations manager with public works, said only about 35 percent of Dalton residents recycle.

Terry Ensley, information technology analyst and accounts manager for the solid waste authority, said the city’s trash totals for 2009 are more than 8,000 tons. More of that could be recycled with increased participation, he said.

But it’s not mandatory that residents recycle, Mr. Levitt said. “All we can do is try to educate and promote the program,” he said.

According to Mr. Dunn, curbside recycling costs about $175,000 a year, but the city is saving about $150,000 annually without the extra day of trash pickup.

The solid waste authority compares recycling totals with those of Rome, Ga., because the curbside program there serves a similar population. This year, Rome’s curbside recycling expects to bring in about 900 tons, Mr. Levitt said.

“We’re going to beat them this year,” he said.

Mr. Levitt said there are “so many reasons” why Dalton residents should recycle, such as saving landfill space and commodities such as trees used for paper and oil used for plastics.

Recycling also supports Georgia jobs, because 80 to 90 percent of residential recycled materials go to facilities in the state, he said.

Next year, the solid waste authority hopes to improve recycling numbers at its four convenience centers. Right now only about 5 percent of county residents using those facilities recycle, Mr. Levitt said.

DALTON RECYCLING TOTALS

* 650 tons: 2004

* 704 tons: 2005

* 628 tons: 2006

* 600 tons: 2007

* 893 tons: 2008

* 999 tons: 2009 (as of Tuesday)

Sources: Harvey Levitt and Liz Swafford of the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority

Dalton recycle efforts soar

By Kevin Cummings
Chattanooga Times Dalton Bureau

DALTON, Ga. — Dalton's leaders say great strides have been made in curbside recycling and there is more progress to come.

Bridget Sanford, recycling coordinator for the Dalton-Whitfield Regional Solid Waste Management Authority, said residents' curbside recycling increased by 50 percent from 2007 to 2008.

“If you recycle, talk to your neighbor who doesn't. Tell them how easy it is. Tell them how much more room there is in your garbage can,” she said. “If you're a resident who is actively recycling, keep up the good work and thank you.”

Benny Dunn, Public Works director, and City Councilwoman Denise Wood, a member of the solid waste authority, both said they are also urging residents to recycle.

According to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, at least 30 percent of all household garbage is recyclable.

Curbside recycling also saves money, Mrs. Sanford said.

Last year the city reduced expenses by more than $23,072 in avoided disposal fees and saved more than 1,490 cubic yards of landfill space.

Additionally, Dalton earned more than $26,880 in shared revenue from the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, which processes and markets the recycled materials.

BY THE NUMBERS

598: Tons of curbside recyclables collected in 2007

896: Tons collected in 2008

1,625: Additional blue recycling bins distributed to residents in 2008

10,659: Trees saved in 2008 by mixed paper recycling

Source: Dalton-Whitfield Regional Solid Waste Management Authority

CURBSIDE RECYCLING

To receive a blue residential recycling bin in the city of Dalton call Public Works at 706-278-7077. Bins are free to city residents. Recyclable materials include mixed paper, cardboard, newspapers, magazines, plastic bottles (No. 1 & 2), glass bottles and jars, bi-metal cans and aluminum cans.

City celebrates recycling increase

Submitted by the Dalton-Whitfield Regional Solid Waste Management Authority 
Daily Citizen News

In 2008, Mayor David Pennington challenged city residents to increase the amount of curbside recycling. Dalton residents rose to the challenge by increasing curbside recycling efforts by 50 percent — from 598 tons in 2007 to 896 tons in 2008. 

In 2008, the Dalton public works department distributed an additional 1,625 blue recycling bins to residents. Benny Dunn, public works director, and City Councilwoman Denise Wood remind residents to do their part, get a bin, fill it up and put it by the curb to be picked up. If you recycle, talk to your neighbor who doesn’t. Tell them how easy it is. Tell them how much more room there is in your garbage can. If you’re a resident who is actively recycling, keep up the good work and thank you.

While a 50 percent increase in curbside recycling is notable, there is still room for improvement. According to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, at least 30 percent of all household garbage is recyclable. 

The benefits of curbside recycling are tangible and immediate. Last year alone, the city reduced expenses by more than $23,072 in avoided disposal fees and saved more than 1,490 cubic yards of landfill space. Additionally, the city earned more than $26,880 in shared revenue from the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, which processes and markets the recycled materials.

Residents of Dalton recycled more than 627 tons of mixed paper in 2008, which saved more than 10,659 trees. The 4.5 tons of aluminum cans recycled by Dalton residents in 2008 saved the energy equivalent of 14,063 gallons of gasoline or 3 kilowatt hours of electricity. 

Curbside recycling is important — for the environment and for the city budget. If you’re a city resident and you don’t have a blue recycling bin, please contact public works at (706) 278-7077. Bins are available to city residents free of charge. Materials which may be recycled include mixed paper, cardboard, newspapers, magazines, plastic bottles (No. 1 & 2), glass bottles and jars, bi-metal cans and aluminum cans.

Dalton pushes recycling

By Erin Fuchs
Chattanooga Times Dalton Bureau

DALTON, Ga. — Alderwoman Denise Wood said she’s not a “Dumpster diver” but admitted to rescuing recyclables.

“If I see an aluminum can on the top of the (trash) container, I will pull it out and drop it in the recycling,” she said.

As the city prepares to reduce the days it collects garbage, city officials are urging residents to minimize waste amounts by recycling certain materials.

Waste management officials estimate that 30 percent to 40 percent of trash is actually recyclable.

Norman Barashick, executive director of the Solid Waste Authority, said recycling is “an easy choice.”

“It’s just a matter of breaking that mindset that everything goes into the garbage,” he said.

The City Council agreed last week to cut trash collection from twice to once a week starting May 1.

Public Works Director Benny Dunn said the move will save Dalton about $150,000 a year. “If we can get everybody to recycle, I think everybody can make it (on) one day a week,” he said.

The city has already had a test-run for once-a-week collection. In 2005, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, fuel supplies were dangerously low, Mr. Dunn said. “We were trying to save all the diesel fuel for our fire trucks,” he said.

So, the city moved to once a week collection for two months, which Mr. Dunn said went smoothly.

But city resident Randy Mayfield doesn’t think it was smooth.

He said a “tremendous amount of garbage” piled up during once-a-week pickup.

“Disposable diapers, garbage for a week, is not sanitary,” Mr. Mayfield said. “We’re talking about flies ... maggots.”

Still, Mayor David Pennington pointed out that many cities collect trash only once a week.

And, he said, recycling education will help city residents make the switch to fewer pick-up days.

“They won’t have as much garbage in their can,” he said, “if they’re putting it in the recycling bin.”

About 20 years ago, only one curbside recycling program operated in the U.S. “By 2006, about 8,660 curbside programs had sprouted up around the nation,” according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Web site.

Ms. Wood, a self-described “master of recycling,” helped pioneer Dalton’s curbside recycling about 15 years ago. “We’re hoping our program becomes more ... widely used,” she said. “It’s just a matter of starting good habits.”