Awarded by the non-profit Keep America Beautiful, sponsored by Coca-Cola, Chatham County has secured a grant to fund 40 new recycling bins at a number of piers, parks and trails.
“We’re hoping that people use them for mostly aluminum cans and plastic bottles, which actually constitutes most of the waste that’s thrown out at recreational facilities. We want to avert as much of that away from a landfill as possible,” said Anne Robinson, recycling coordinator for Chatham County.
10 of the 40 bins will be available at the Resource Conservation and Recycling Education Center, located at 132 Eisenhower Drive, for use at parties and large outdoor events. “It becomes really problematic when you try to be as honest or thorough about recycling as you can but go to a lot of events and don’t see opportunities for recycling there. This grant will allow people to come in and pick up the bins themselves then bring them back to the center. Then we actually weigh it and record it for grant documentation purposes,” Robinson said. Residents can call ahead to reserve a bin or walk in to the center to inquire about available bins.
In addition to the Keep America Beautiful grant, The Chatham County Public Works Department in partnership with Keep Chatham Beautiful, as well as the Chatham County Park Services Department, are all working together to secure more funding for recycling opportunities in the county. Chatham County is seeking ways to fund new recycling methods and hopes to create events where residents can drop off large and unusual items without having to worry about disposal on their own.
“It’s fascinating–the whole process of separating recyclables, getting them processed, and watching water bottles for instance become carpet. Seeing that just knocked my socks off, so I’m still doing it today,” Robinson said.
After transitioning from her job with the city to Chatham County in 2009 and her involvement with Keep Georgia Beautiful and Georgia Recycling Coalition, Robinson fell more in love with the industry behind recycling. “I don’t think I‘ve ever enjoyed a job so much,” Robinson said. “Recycling really appeals to me because of its simplicity; it’s a brilliant idea. Something that can be both economically and environmentally beneficial is a really easy sell.”
As recycling opportunities increase, Chatham County departments hope residents will also reduce their consumption. “People want to go directly to recycling and that’s the consumption crutch in our culture. There are the three R’s and recycling is just part of equation–and it’s the last part of the equation. Reduce, reuse and then recycle,” Robinson said. However, since there is no market for glass in the industry, Chatham County cannot recycle the material. With this in mind, Robinson suggests that residents consider their need for glass and lessening their consumption of the product.
Attempting to recycle non-recyclable materials can still harm the environment because all materials must be transported back to the dump, which emits more carbon. To avoid improper disposal, local municipalities are available to answer questions and provide information about a material. “When in doubt, check us out. Call us and we will let you know how to dispose of something or how and where to donate it,” Robinson said.
By Jordan Petteys.
