Curbside Recycling in Dalton Increases 14% over 2010

The City of Dalton Curbside Recycling program was recognized for recycling 2,532,120 lbs. in 2011. Pictured are Norman Barashick, Executive Director, Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, Benny Dunn, Executive Director, City of Dalton Public Works, Recycling Ben, mascot and recycling representative, Denise Wood, City of Dalton Councilwoman, Jimmy Step, Curbside Recycling Driver, David Pennington, City of Dalton Mayor.

(Dalton, GA, March 22, 2012) - The City of Dalton Curbside Recycling Program was recognized for it’s 2011 recycling efforts on March 19 at 6:00 pm at Dalton City Hall during the regularly scheduled City Council Meeting.  Representatives from the City Council and the City of Dalton Public Works Department were present for the presentation organized by the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority’s Recycling Center.

In 2011 residents participating in the Curbside Recycling program collected 2,532,120 lbs. of recyclables, a 14% increase over recycling in 2010 when 2,175,820 lbs was collected.  Participation in the Curbside Recycling program during 2011 saved 2,110 cubic yards of landfill space.  If only one type of recyclable had been collected, it would be the weight equivalent of 86,627,437 aluminum drink cans (empty 12 oz.) or 16,880,800 cereal boxes.  Recycling 1,266 tons also saved enough energy to power 89 households for a year.

For more information about recycling call 706-278-5001 or visit www.DWSWA.org. 

Local Schools Place in Nationwide Recycling Competition

New Hope Middle School Takes 5th at the State Level

(Dalton, GA, March 9, 2012) –  Keep America Beautiful, Inc., the nation’s largest volunteer-based community action and education organization, has announced the winners of “Recycle-Bowl”, the first comprehensive nationwide recycling competition for elementary-, middle- and high-school students.  45 schools in Georgia participated at the state level recycling as much as possible during the weeks of October 17, 2011 to November 12, 2011.   Several local schools placed in the Top 10 in Georgia, including New Hope Middle School, which placed 5th in the state.

Public and private schools in Whitfield County currently participate in Target Recycling at School, a free recycling collection service offered by the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority.  With the assistance of the DWSWA’s recycling center, 35 local schools were registered for the inaugural competition.  Each school received a kit to help promote recycling in their school.  At the end of the competition period the weights of the recyclables collected at each school were reported to Recycle-Bowl staff.

Georgia’s Top 10 Recycle-Bowl Competitors:

1. Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, Rabun Gap, GA

2. Brighten Academy, Douglasville, GA

3. Hollis Hand Elementary, Lagrange, GA

4. Crabapple Crossing Elementary School, Milton, GA

5. New Hope Middle School, Dalton, GA

6. Pleasant Grove Elementary School, Dalton, GA

7. Dug Gap Elementary School, Dalton, GA

8. Learning Tree School, Dalton, GA

9. Whitfield Career Academy / Phoenix High School, Dalton, GA

10. Dawnville Elementary School, Dalton, GA

A full list of statewide winners can be found at www.Recycle-Bowl.org.

The total amount of school only recyclables recovered nationwide during the 2011 competition added up to 2,088,000 pounds, which in turn prevented the release of nearly 990 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2E). In real-world terms, this reduction in greenhouse gases is equivalent to the annual emissions from 154 passenger cars; 191,998 gallons of gas; or nearly 7.4 million gallons of water.

“Keep America Beautiful is thrilled with the success of Recycle-Bowl’s inaugural year and our congratulations go to all participating schools for their work in showing how small changes can make a huge impact,” said Matt McKenna, president and CEO of Keep America Beautiful.

Recycle-Bowl By The Numbers:

• 1,223 schools registered – 1% of all U.S. public and private schools.
• More than 500,000 students participated in the competition.
• On average, 5.32 pounds of material was collected per person in the school versus school division during the four weeks of the competition.
• 67% of schools saw “significant” or “some” increase in the amount of material recycled.
• If all students in America recycled at the rate of this year’s Recycle-Bowl competitors, approximately 1.8 million tons of material would be diverted annually from landfills. That would be the weight of 156,000 school buses!

About Keep America Beautiful

Keep America Beautiful, Inc., established in 1953, is the nation's largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. This national nonprofit forms public-private partnerships and programs that engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community environments.  For additional information, visit www.kab.org.

Curbside Recycling Program Recognition Scheduled For March 19

The City of Dalton Curbside Recycling program accepts a variety of products for recycling.  They include paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, bi-metal cans, glass bottles and jars, and plastic bottles and jugs.

(Dalton, GA, March 7, 2012) - The City of Dalton Curbside Recycling Program will be recognized for it’s 2011 recycling efforts on March 19 at 6:00 pm at Dalton City Hall during the regularly scheduled City Council Meeting.  In 2011 residents participating in the Curbside Recycling program collected 2,532,120 lbs. of recyclables, a 14% increase over recycling in 2010.

Residents are invited to attend the special presentation and learn more about this local recycling program.  Representatives from the recycling center will be available to answer questions and distribute free recycled pens and other items from America Recycles Day.  For more information call 706-278-5001 or visit www.DWSWA.org. 

Live Christmas Tree Recycling on January 7, 2012

DALTON, GA -  On Saturday, January 7, 2012 Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful volunteers will be collecting live, natural, undecorated Christmas trees from residents for “treecycling”.  The free event will be held from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Home Depot parking lot located at 875 Shugart Road in Dalton.

(Click here or on the logo to download the event flier!)

Christmas trees must be free of ornaments, nails, hooks, wires, tinsel, lights, and other decorations.  Only natural, live, real trees will be accepted - no artificial trees please.  Trees will be recycled on site into mulch that will be used for beautification projects throughout Whitfield County.  In exchange for dropping off their live Christmas tree for recycling residents will receive a free seedling or packet of seeds to plant at home.

Statewide over 5.7 million trees have been recycled into mulch or habitats for wildlife since the beginning of the program in 1991.  During the 2011 event 309 collection sites throughout the state of Georgia recycled 161,319 Christmas trees with the help of 6,395 volunteers.

If local residents cannot participate the day of the event, there are two additional options available.

1.) The City of Dalton Public Works Department will collect Christmas trees from the curb.  City residents should call 706-278-7077 to request pick-up.  Yard debris is regularly picked up throughout the year every other week.

2.) The four Convenience Centers managed by the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority have drop-off areas for yard debris that is recycled year round.  These include the McGaughey Chapel, M.L.King Blvd., Westside, and the Old Dixie Hwy. Landfill & Convenience Center.  For hours of operation and directions visit www.DWSWA.org or call 706-277-2545.

For more details about the event visit www.KeepDaltonWhitfieldBeautiful.org or call 706-278-5001.

Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful would like to thank state and local sponsors for making this event possible.  State sponsors include the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation, Earth911.com, The Home Depot, The Davey Tree Expert Company, Ferry-Morse Seed Co., and 11 Alive – Atlanta’s NBC Affiliate.  Local sponsors include Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, Whitfield County - Georgia Forestry Commission, Whitfield County Public Works Department, and The Home Depot in Dalton.

Over 2,294,200 Lbs. Recycled This Year

A load of mixed paper is dropped off at the Recycling Center by a City of Dalton Curbside Recycling truck.  Mixed paper is recycled to make a variety of goods that range from restaurant napkins to paperboard boxes for pre-packaged food.

City of Dalton Curbside Recycling Program Nears Goal of 1,200 Tons

DALTON, GA – According to the Curbside Recycling Report produced by the Dalton-Whitfield Regional Solid Waste Authority, during the months of January to November 2011 residents participating in the City of Dalton’s Curbside Recycling Program collected 1,147.1 tons or 2,294,200 pounds of recyclables.  It’s 312,000 pounds more than they had collected during the same period last year, producing an overall 15% increase in recycling compared to 2010.

Public Works Director, Benny Dunn, said, “Dalton residents are doing an outstanding job.  Thanks for recycling, and please remember to encourage your neighbors to recycle.  You truly can make a difference.”  During the month of December residents are expected to easily reach the goal of collecting 1,200 tons or 2,400,000 pounds of recyclables for the year.

Residents of the City of Dalton in single-family homes of three units or less that have garbage pickup through the city 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 more information, such as recycling instructions, 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.

Items collected for recycling in the city include plastic bottles and jugs, glass bottles and jars, aluminum beverage cans, bi-metal cans, cardboard, newspaper, and other mixed paper.  Recyclables are collected by the Public Works Department, and then delivered to the Solid Waste Authority's Recycling Center for processing.  Recycling takes a product at the end of its useful life and uses all or part of it to make a new product.  Benefits of recycling include conserving natural resources and saving energy during the manufacturing process. For example, 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.