Q: I have searched for an outlet for ripped, worn-out clothes, such as underwear and socks with holes. There must be a place where these types of items can be recycled. I have checked with the Salvation Army, Goodwill and on the Internet. Is there somewhere these types of items can be recycled?
— Chris Donnolo, Alpharetta
A: USAgain (www.usagain.com), pronounced "use-again," has collection boxes throughout metro Atlanta (www.usagain.com/find-a-collection-bin), including Alpharetta, Roswell, Woodstock and Cumming. USAgain is a for-profit business involved in the reuse of clothing in lieu of dumping it in landfills, Gloria Hardegree, the executive director of the Georgia Recycling Coalition, told Q&A on the News in an email. "While their first preference is reusable gently worn clothing, they can accept torn or worn-out clothing, as long as it is not soiled or badly damaged," Hardegree wrote. USAgain operates more than 10,000 collection bins in 17 states. Last year, the company collected 60 million pounds of clothing, shoes and other textiles, according to its website.
Q: I was reading in the paper about the fine Atlanta will have to pay for sewer spills. Who receives the fine money, and what does the government do with that money?
— Richard Morris, Newnan
A: The money goes to the state treasury, and the Georgia General Assembly determines how to spend it, a spokesman for the Georgia Environmental Protection Division told Q&A on the News. Atlanta was hit with a $113,000 fine for two spills of untreated sewage this year, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
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