Where Does Old Carpet Go?

Remodeling your home? Installing new carpet for a customer? Are you asking yourself, “Where does old carpet go?”  The Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority answers that question in the new “How to Guide for Post-Consumer Carpet and Carpet Pad Disposal in Whitfield County”.   This short full-color guide with photos explains the step-by-step process of preparing and delivering your carpet and carpet pad to the Old Dixie Hwy. Landfill and Convenience Center for proper disposal or recycling.

Upon delivery, carpet and carpet pad are directed to the Old Dixie Materials Recovery Facility (Recycling Center) located on the same property.  The staff tests the carpet to determine if it can be sent through the recycling process.  If not, it’s set aside in a carpet balefill where it waits for other opportunities to be used as a resource.  However, most kinds of carpet are recyclable.  Depending on the face fiber, the carpet can be used to make a new product such as composite lumber, automotive parts, and carpet padding.

To prepare your carpet and carpet pad, first make sure it’s clean, dry, and free of debris.  Roll up the carpet and padding separately.  Tie the roll by using a strip of carpet from the edge of the roll.  Detailed directions and photos are laid out in the guide.  Next, take the rolls to the Old Dixie Highway Landfill & Convenience Center located at 4189 Old Dixie Highway in Dalton, GA.  Stop at the Scale House to have your vehicle weighed and be directed to the appropriate drop off area.  Finally, enjoy a 46% discount off the regular gate fee as a thank you for participating in the post-consumer carpet program.

“Where does old carpet go?” is an educational campaign to inform residents in Whitfield County about the post-consumer carpet program and it’s benefits.  The booklet-sized brochure opens up to reveal a poster that can be placed at local businesses to help spread the message about the program.  The online version of the guide does not include the poster but does contain the same basic information as the full version.  Download your copy of the guide today at www.DWSWA.org or call 706-278-5001 to request a copy by mail.

To learn more about carpet recycling visit Carpet America Recovery Effort online at www.carpetrecovery.org.  For more information about recycling in Whitfield County contact Liz Swafford, Recycling and Education Program Coordinator, at lswafford@dwswa.org.

Recycling Guide For Convenience Centers in Whitfield County Released

Recycling at Convenience Centers in Whitfield County just got easier thanks to a new recycling guide released by the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority. The new guide called “How to Guide for Recycling at Convenience Centers in Whitfield County” is available for pickup at local Convenience Centers may be downloaded online at www.DWSWA.org.

The recycling guide is filled with interesting facts about recycling, shows what types of products are accepted for recycling in Whitfield County, and reminds everyone that they can make a difference when they recycle. It’s also part of an education campaign called “Stop treating us like garbage.” which is designed to remind the public that items in their household trash can be a resource. For example, newspaper when recycled is made into more newspaper, insulation, paperboard, and egg cartons.

Convenience Centers in Whitfield County include the Old Dixie Landfill, Westside, M.L. King Blvd., and McGaughey Chapel. Each one features a Recycling Drop-off Area for newspapers and magazines, cardboard, mixed paper, plastic bottles and jugs with the #1 or #2 recycling symbol, aluminum cans, bi-metal, and glass bottles and jars that are clear, brown, green or blue.

For more information about recycling in Whitfield County contact Liz Swafford, Recycling and Education Program Coordinator, e-mail: lswafford@dwswa.org or call 706-278-5001.

Over 1 Million Pounds Recycled by City of Dalton Curbside Recycling Program

DALTON, GA -  Residents participating in the City of Dalton Curbside Recycling program collected over 1 million pounds of recyclables during the first six months of the year.  This is an 18.9% increase compared to the same time last year.  Recycling takes a product at the end of its useful life and uses all or part of it to make another product instead of more garbage.  Five plastic #1 (PET) bottles, such as water and soda bottles, yield enough fiber to make one extra large T-shirt, one square foot of carpet, or enough fiber to fill one ski jacket.

550.1 tons or 1,100,200 pounds of recyclables were collected during the months of January to June 2010 according to the City of Dalton Curbside Recycling Report produced by the Dalton-Whitfield Regional Solid Waste Authority’s Materials Recovery Facility or Recycling Center.  1,100,200 pounds are the equivalent of a stack of newspapers 5.95 miles long.  The goal for this year is 1,200 tons or 2,400,000 pounds. Products collected for recycling include paper, magazines, newspaper, cardboard, plastic bottles and jugs with the #1 or #2 recycling symbol, aluminum cans, bi-metal or tin cans, and glass bottles and jars that are clear, brown, green or blue.

Residents of the City of Dalton in single-family homes qualify for Curbside Recycling service.  Recyclables are collected in blue 18-gallon recycling bins and picked up weekly on the same day as household garbage.  For a more information visit the City of Dalton’s website, www.cityofdalton-ga.gov, click ‘Departments’ then ‘Public Works’.  If you need a Recycling Bin or a Recycling Bin Instructions Sticker, call the Public Works Department at 706-278-7077.

Residents of Whitfield County living outside of the City of Dalton also have opportunities to recycle.  All four Convenience Centers managed by the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority have Recycling Drop-off Areas that collect the same products as the Curbside Recycling program.  For locations, hours and directions visit www.dwswa.org.  For more information about recycling contact Liz Swafford, Recycling and Education Program Coordinator, at 706-278-5001.

July 4th Holiday - Operating Schedule for Landfill and Convenience Centers

The Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority announced it's 2010 July 4th Holiday Operating Schedules for Landfill and Convenience Centers in Whitfield County.

July 4th Holiday Schedule:

• Saturday, July 3, 2010 - All Locations Open - Normal Hours (7am – 3pm)
• Sunday, July 4, 2010 – All Locations Closed
• Monday, July 5, 2010 – All Locations Closed
• Tuesday, July 6, 2010 – All Locations Open (7am – 6pm)  (Westside Normally Closed)
• Wednesday, July 7, 2010 – All Locations Open (7am – 6pm)  (McGaughey Chapel Normally Closed)
• Thursday, July 8, 2010 - Resume Normal Operating Days and Hours

Landfill Equipment and Truck Road-E-O Participants

Representatives from the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority congratulate employees who participated in the Landfill Equipment and Truck Road-E-O organized by the Georgia Chapter of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) on May 12th in Dublin, GA.

Pictured are Harvey Levitt, Operations Manager, Garnell Talley who placed 2nd in Dozer, Chad Shook who placed 3rd in Front Loader, Marlon Cole who placed 1st in Track Hoe and was the Overall Winner in Equipment, Jeremy Flood who placed 2nd in Roll-Off, and Norman Barashick, Executive Director. Cole will participate in the 2010 International SWANA Road-E-O competition later this year.