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DEL.ICIO.USTrash talk: Mandatory recycling in Gwinnett?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Gwinnett County Commission recently took a fact-finding trip to Fairfax County, Virginia, a county similar to Gwinnett in size, population and location within a major metropolitan area.
The matters discussed included transportation, economic development, education and healthcare.
Fairfax has a very innovative program that, unfortunately, was not a part of the discussion.
It should have been.
In 1988 Fairfax County began a pilot program that in 1992 became a mandatory recycling program throughout the county.
It’s a simple process. Trash is separated into two containers. Fiber products are placed in one container, such as newspaper, cereal boxes and cardboard. Plastic, metal and glass are put in the other container.
From there, the recyclable materials are delivered to a privately owned Materials Recovery Facility then sorted by type and, in the case of glass, color. After that, they are processed and prepared for sale to recyclable materials brokers or directly to manufacturers.
For example, fiber products are sold to Capitol Fiber. It sells the recycled paper to Canusa Fibers, which then produces newsprint purchased by the Washington Post. Thereby “a clear product life cycle” is created for newsprint widely circulated in Fairfax County,” said Merni Fitzgerald, director of public affairs for Fairfax County.
Fairfax County currently recycles approximately 30 percent (over 400,000 tons annually) of all solid waste generated within the county.
Aside from the 400,000 tons of solid waste Fairfax recycles annually, Fitzgerald says the program has led to several benefits, including:
Reduced impact on air, water and soil because recyclables are not sent to a landfill.
A reduced need to use paper products, therefore reduced emissions from paper pulping plants and paper mills, many of which are located in Virginia.
Less timber extraction.
Learning opportunities for school-age children in the county.
Offset tipping fees for the disposal of trash (currently $46.95/ton)
I would encourage the Gwinnett County Commission to take a very close look at this program and consider implementing it countywide. Perhaps someday, Gwinnett can reduce its need for four landfills.
What amount of recycling do you do in your home or office now? Would you support a mandatory recycling program similar to Fairfax County’s?
Permalink | Comments (15) | Post your comment | Categories: Woody Bass
Comments
By BigMike
January 7, 2007 06:41 PM | Link to this
Yes,
We all need more government regulation in our life. I recycle voluntarily now, but if it becomes mandatory I will do whatever I can to evade the law on principle.
By gary
January 7, 2007 07:10 PM | Link to this
I live in Arizona now.I think it should be mandatory everywhere.If you ever watch the new DVD at Block buster called” An Inconvenient Truth” by Al Gore you would see that in about 10 years, half of Florida is gonna be covered with water.Polar bears are being found dead from drowning because they have to swim for 60 miles or more.Obviously we can only do so much, because of the greedy oil companies and lying Bushes.Keep recycling!
By Drew
January 7, 2007 10:41 PM | Link to this
Great idea! Now only if Gwinnett can get their Mexicans to understand English, and they stop ripping up every tree in that crappy county, they’ll be on the way to mediocrity!
By E Mutz
January 7, 2007 10:58 PM | Link to this
As an Alaskan, I am all for global warming. First of all, if half of florida were covered in water all of the voters who were confused by the butterfly ballot would be underwater. I have not heard of one report of polar bears drowning. They are rather resilient after all. The campaign to list the polar bear as an endangered species is motivated solely by anti-oil development interests.
I recall a community in Washington that attempted to adopt mandatory recycling by initiating fines on households who had more than he allotted bags on the curb on trash day. The problem: neighbors would simply move their bags to other houses to avoid the fines. Shootings ensued. Sad really.
E Mutz Chairman, Alaskans for Global Warming
By Jack
January 8, 2007 01:04 AM | Link to this
Big Mike, God help you and your childish mind. While I too think we need small government, there are times that government MUST STEP IN and this is one area that is has wasted time in doing so. Most people need to be trained. There can be no arguement that the number of people that do not recyle far out number those that do. WE NEED OUR STATE AND LOCAL governments to MAKE THE CITIZENS LEARN TO RECYCLE. It is a huge benefit to all and it hurts nobody when we recylce. Maybe Big Mike was joking. I hope so!
By Katie
January 8, 2007 06:16 AM | Link to this
Being from California, I’m used to recycling. Everyone should do it. It is expensive for the State to process it but it’s very important. Everyone should be recycling—cans, bottles, plastic containers. People should re-use their plastic and paper grocery bags too. If making it madatory is necessary then do it, but then you have to enforce it. Are we going to have garbage police that go from house to house inspecting people’s trash cans? Personally, we have a hard enough time with gangs in our neighborhood, I highly doubt the local police would come by more frequently to inspect garbage. The solution is to get the info out to people—educate them, provide recycling containers and have the recycling trucks actually take the recycled good to recycle centers, not to the local dump which happened a few years ago.
By woodys mom
January 8, 2007 07:05 AM | Link to this
we have family in fairfax county virgina, and in glendale arizona. i have seen how recycling works in both areas.
in fairfax it depends on where in the county you live. one sister in law says they dont always pick up the recycling when they are suppose to. the trash can is left untouched for weeks if they left it out on the curb. while just a few miles away the recycling is picked up as it should be.
but in glendale arizona they have one of the best trash collections and reclycling i have ever seen. i would love to see this adopted across the board. they have two different containers for trash and recycling. but this is not where it stops. one day a month they have large trash pickup.
through out this great state of georgia is there and area where you can drive and not see couches and large appliances in the woods or on the side of the road or in yards. they dont have this problem in glendale. for the large trash pickup all you have to do is put it out on the curb and they come with a large dump truck and a forklift and clean up the county so this elimates almost all trash in the county on road sides and in yards.
By Chris
January 8, 2007 03:01 PM | Link to this
Sure, don’t we all need the government to tell us how to recycle? I know for one I can’t even zip my pants without some form of regulation.
By Woody Bass
January 9, 2007 12:02 AM | Link to this
GO GATORS!!!By Shooter
January 9, 2007 03:52 PM | Link to this
Has anyone ever been to a landfill after it is full? It is almost always turned into a pleasant green area.
Besides, doesn’t the government have bigger problems to worry about?
By Laura
January 9, 2007 05:40 PM | Link to this
I’ve tried recycling. The trash company almost always forgets to pick it up. So why bother??
By jim d
January 11, 2007 07:57 AM | Link to this
Woody,
Ever watch the pick up process? I’ve watched as the trash guys unceremoniously picked up the recyclables and dumped them into the back of the truck to be compacted with the rest of the garbage. Then of course the question of who’s paying for the service arises. Should the county wish to pay my bills, I’d be happy to oblige such a mandate.
Here’s a better idea, why not just allow the scavengers into the land fills with there broken down pickup trucks to sort and sell whatever they can claim?
By Al
January 11, 2007 10:32 PM | Link to this
Do not underestimate the importance of solid waste disposal management. It is extremely important to not only recycle what we can but also to minimize waste that cannot be recycled. The government may ultimately be the only entity with the resources to handle such an undertaking.
Jim D’s scavenger theory has at least some merit. If it’s too much trouble to sort recyclables in the beginning of the disposal process, then why not at the end point? (which would be the landfill). You can have workers in protective gear sifting thru rubbish 24-7 to pick out recyclable material to be transferred and processed.
Bottom line: Too many people generating way to much waste = an evironment that is at best unpleasant and at worst uninhabitable.
PS - If your waste disposal company is not doing their job properly, I recommend doing one or more the followiing: Complain (LOUDLY) to the company’s management…Inform Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful (http://www.gwinnettcb.org/) of the situation…Find a better waste disposal company.
By Connie Wiggins
January 15, 2007 12:53 PM | Link to this
I was delighted to read about your interest in recycling in Gwinnett. We certainly need more people recycling in our community. I travelled to Fairfax, VA and was amazed that their community was not as advanced as Gwinnett when it comes to recycling. Gwinnett County has always been a leader when it comes to recycling. Since 1989, Gwinnett County has had a form of mandatory recycling. All garbage haulers are required to provide curbside collection of recyclables to homeowners. Honeowners are not currently required to recycle at their home, but this is being considered. The current system was improved a few years ago and now makes recycling easier. Homeowners can place all of their recyclables in one bin. They do not need to separate the materials.In 2007 homeowners will be able to add additional recyclables to the recycling bin. Once the items are collected they are taken to the Recycling Bank of Gwinnett on Satellite Blvd. where they are sorted by type using specialized equipment and inmate labor. This system ensures that recycling will always be viable in our community and keeps the cost down for taxpayers. After the materials are sorted they are shipped to Georgia industries who need these materials to produce new products. In addition to curbside collection of recyclables there are over 250 recycling locations for citizens to take their recyclables. A listing of all locations can be found on our website at www.gwinnettcb.org. As you can see there are many opportunities to recycle in Gwinnett. As we look to the future, new programs are being considered. I hope that you and the AJC will help us get the word out about some upcoming community meetings and an on-line survey and podcast to discuss our recycling and trash collection needs and possible options for the future.
By KA
January 16, 2007 08:40 AM | Link to this
Go Connie! Woody, still hung over from the football game? Do your research before you write your articles.