Rechargeable Battery Recycling Available

Liz and Recycling Ben invite you to look for the silver bucket at a local Convenience Center to drop off your rechargeable batteries for recycling.

Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority Joins Nationwide Call2Recycle Program to Recycle Used Rechargeable Batteries

DALTON, GA - The Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority has partnered with Call2Recycle® to make convenient battery recycling available to residents in Whitfield County.  The only free rechargeable battery collection program in North America, Call2Recycle helps communities of all sizes operate rechargeable battery collection programs.

Rechargeable batteries come in all shapes and sizes.  Look for the RBRC Battery Recycling Seals to identify the recyclable ones. 

“Whitfield County is joining thousands of communities across the county in protecting the environment by providing residents with an environmentally responsible way to safely dispose of used batteries,” said Carl Smith, president and CEO of Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC), the non-profit that operates Call2Recycle. “Participating in a battery recycling program is one important way communities can make themselves healthier, safer and more sustainable.”

Rechargeable batteries are a long-lasting, eco-friendly power source for many electronic devices, including laptop computers, cell phones, cordless phones, digital cameras, cordless power tools, and two-way radios.  Each rechargeable battery is stamped with the RBRC recycle seal indicating it should be taken to a collection site to be recycled.  Precious metals recovered from used batteries create new batteries, and stainless steel products. (Pictured below are samples of batteries and the recycle seals.)

Four Convenience Centers in the county will serve as collection sites for rechargeable batteries starting Saturday, October 15.  Look for the silver bucket in the lead acid battery recycling section, or ask an attendant for assistance. (Silver bucket is pictured above.)  Locations include the Household Hazardous Waste Facility at the Old Dixie Hwy. Landfill and Convenience Center location at the south end of the county; M.L. King Blvd. Convenience Center in Dalton; McGaughey Chapel Convenience Center in Cohutta; and Westside Convenience Center in Rocky Face.  For specific hours of operation and directions visit www.DWSWA.org and click on Convenience Centers or call the Recycling Center at 706-278-5001.

Since 1996, more than 60 million pounds of rechargeable batteries have been collected through Call2Recycle. It’s the first battery program committed to attain Basel Action Network (BAN) e-Steward qualification and upholds strict third-party standards for environmental safety and social responsibility.  Learn more at www.call2recycle.org or 1.877.2.RECYCLE.

17th Annual Conasauga Watershed Clean-Up

DALTON, GA - Be part of the tradition on Saturday, October 22nd, when you join local volunteers in cleaning up the Conasauga Watershed’s river and streams.  One of the six most biologically diverse freshwater river systems in the United States, the Conasauga River supports 24 endangered species and a dozen other imperiled species, including the Southern Pigtoe mussel and the Conasauga log perch, a fish found nowhere else in the world.

Registration opens at 9 am at six clean up sites in Whitfield County and Murray County.  Choose a site and enjoy some muddy merriment as you help care for our area’s beautiful streams and river!  This year includes more accessibility for canoeists who will be able to clean the river while on a four-hour float.

This year’s clean-up will take place these six locations:

1. Conasauga River at Carlton Petty Road Bridge

2. Conasauga River at Highway 2 bridge*

3. Conasauga River at Lower King’s Bridge/Norton Bridge*

4. Holly Creek, Murray County, on the Chattahoochee National Forest

5. Mill Creek tributary in the City of Dalton

6. Coahulla Creek at Prater’s Mill

* Canoeists can put in at the Highway 2 bridge & take out at Lower King’s/Norton bridge, about a 4 hour float.

Sturdy shoes or boots, gloves, long pants, and long sleeved shirts are recommended.  Hip or chest waders are useful, but are not required.  Trash bags will be provided and at least the first 200 volunteers will receive a free shirt or other gift.  The event is held in conjunction with Northwest Georgia United Way’s Make A Difference Day and Georgia’s Annual Waterway Clean-Up, Rivers Alive.

To download the event flyer with directions, visitwww.KeepDaltonWhitfieldBeautiful.org.  Pre-registration is not required.  For additional information, please contact John Lugthart at jlugthart@daltonstate.edu.  For more information about efforts in other areas or the statewide campaign, go to www.RiversAlive.org.

SPONSORS:    Shaw Industries, Dalton Utilities, Mohawk Industries, Dalton-Whitfield Regional Solid Waste Management Authority (DWSWA), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and the Conasauga River Alliance (CRA)

COORDINATORS:  Carpet & Rug Institute, CRA, Dalton State College, Dalton Utilities, DWRSWMA, Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful, TNC and Murray County Extension.

Billboard Design Contest for Middle School Students Underway

2011 America Recycles Day Billboard Design Contest

DALTON, GA – Recycling Ben, mascot for the Target Recycling Program, and the recycling team at the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority are delighted to announce the 2nd Annual America Recycles Day Billboard Design Contest.  The art contest is for students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade in Whitfield County schools that recycle with Target Recycling.  Middle Schoolers are asked to design artwork for a billboard with a recycling theme in keeping with America Recycles Day that is celebrated on November 15.  The winning design will be displayed for at least four weeks on two billboards in Whitfield County.

During the inaugural competition in 2010, Dalton Middle School 7th grader, Esmeralda Perez won first place overall.  Her billboard design simply stated “I Will Recycle” and included the America Recycles Day slogan, “I Recycle”.  The suggested billboard themes for the 2011 contest are, “Let’s Target Recycling Together”, “I Recycle. Do You?” and “Recycle, it’s the natural thing to do.”  Click the image above to download the guide.

Local Drivers Score at International Road-E-O

Eddie Ashe maneuvers the dozer through the equipment obstacle course at the 2011 International SWANA Road-E-O.

A Road-E-O judge measures the distance between the Front Loader and the rail to determine the accuracy of driver Chad Shook during the competition.

Road-E-O judges prepare to measure the parking accuracy of driver Jeremy Flood during the international competition in Dublin, GA.

Marlon Cole guides a barrel through part of the obstacle course for the Rubber Tired Loader as Road-E-O judges look on.

DALTON, GA – Four members of the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority staff participated in, and one took top honors, at the Solid Waste Association of North America’s International Road-E-O for landfill equipment and truck operators.  On September 3rd, solid waste professionals from all across North America arrived at the Southern Pine Ag & Expo Center in Dublin, GA to prove their skills in special obstacle courses, and test their knowledge with written tests.  Each participant had to prequalify at the state level Road-E-O before being invited to the international level.  Competition at the 2011 SWANA International Road-E-O was described as “intense” by the Road-E-O judges as 107 of the solid waste industry’s best drivers, mechanics, and operators competed for the best scores in the nation.

The competition was divided into two major categories highlighting specific types of equipment. The Equipment and Mechanic Competition showcases skills with the Dozer, ADT Articulated Dump Truck, Rubber Tired Loader, Compactor, and general Mechanics.  While the Truck Competition tested the Rear Loader, Front Loader, Side Loader, Roll-Off, and Tractor Trailer.  The top three finishers in each category took home trophies and bragging rights as the best-of-the-best in the business.  “Top Gun” awards were made to the top finishers in the truck and equipment competitions.

Local participants included Marlon Cole - Rubber Tired Loader, Eddie Ashe - Dozer, Chad Shook – Front Loader, and Jeremy Flood – Roll-Off.  Each first participated in the Georgia SWANA Road-E-O in May placing in the top two of their respective categories, while Ashe also placed first overall in the Equipment Competition.  At the International SWANA they participated in the same categories pitting their skills against drivers from as far away as the state of Oregon.  Front Loader driver, Chad Shook, had an excellent course time but did not place in the top three.  Roll-Off driver, Jeremy Flood, placed sixth overall with an impressive course time as well.  Road-E-O Dozer operator, Eddie Ashe, placed third overall receiving a trophy.  The competition in the dozer category was so close that the course time had to be used as a tiebreaker.  Rubber Tired Loader operator, Marlon Cole, also received a trophy after placing first overall with a perfect obstacle course score.  High scores on the obstacle course and written test earned him the title of “Top Gun” in the Equipment and Mechanic Competition.

Georgia and the 2011 SWANA International Road-E-O were rewarded with performances from the best-of-the-best drivers, mechanics and operators in the solid waste industry.  The Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority is proud to have some of the best in the country on board.

Glass, It’s Endlessly Recyclable

Recycling and Education Program Coordinator, Liz Swafford, invites you to recycle glass bottles and jars to celebrate Recycle Glass Month this September.

DALTON, GA – Whitfield County residents are invited to recycle their glass bottles and jars in celebration of Recycle Glass Month during September. Glass is 100% and endlessly recyclable, according to the Glass Packaging Institute or GPI. In fact, a glass container can go from a recycling bin to a store shelf in as little as 30 days. Recycling just one glass bottle saves enough energy to light a compact fluorescent light bulb for 20 hours.

Recycling is the process of taking a product at the end of its useful life and using all or part of it to create a new product. 80% of glass containers collected for recycling are made into new containers. While the rest of the glass, called cullet, is used in the production of glass tiles, glass jewelry, glass gravel or rocks, and more. The recycling process begins only when an individual drops-off their items for recycling at a local Convenience Center or puts them in a curbside bin for collection.

Here are some tips for recycling glass in Whitfield County:

1. Recycle glass containers only. Make sure you are recycling glass bottles and jars that are clear, brown, green, or blue. These would be your typical food jars and drink bottles. Do not include any non-container glass like glass drinking cups, mirrors, and glass bake ware.

2. Rinse with water. Rinse out bottles and jars to remove food residue. It’s ok to leave the labels on the containers.

3. Know where to recycle. Depending on where you live you can recycle glass at a Convenience Center or with the City of Dalton Curbside Recycling Program.

Convenience Centers managed by the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority have garbage drop-off areas and recycling drop-off areas with a specific container for glass bottles. There are four locations to choose from that are open to all county residents no matter what city they live in. They include the Old Dixie Hwy. Landfill and Convenience Center in the south end of the county, Westside in Rocky Face, M.L.King Blvd. in Dalton, and McGaughey Chapel in Cohutta. For more details call 706-278-5001 or visit www.DWSWA.org and click on Convenience Centers.

Glass recycling is also available through the City of Dalton Curbside Recycling program that is for Dalton residents in single-family homes of three units or less. If you have trash pickup by the City of Dalton Public Works department you probably qualify for curbside service that includes a blue 18-gallon recycling bin. Simply add the glass containers to your recycling bin and take it to the curb on your designated day. For questions about curbside call the Public Works Department at 706-278-7077.