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Solid Waste - Recycling

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1. Q: Documents for Shredding - Where do I take them?

We accept documents to be shredded at our Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) at 1005 College Avenue. Please visit accgov.com/charm for facility hours, pricing, and material details.

To cover our costs of processing, we do charge a fee of $2 per bankers box (or equivalent size) for document shredding. We charge an additional facility fee of $3 per visit for ACC customers and $8 per visit for out of county. If you have a different size container, box or bag, we will charge accordingly based on the estimated size, relative to a bankers box.

At the CHaRM, your documents will be placed in a locked roll cart in the facility, where they will be collected and shredded on site by Lindsay Group document destruction company. They then bring the shredded paper material to our recycling facility for processing, baling, and shipment to the paper market to be recycled into new products.

If you have further questions, please email recycle@accgov.com or call 706-613-3501 x8. 

2. Q: When will my recyclables be collected?

A: For customers who live in the Urban Service District, it will be collected on the same day as garbage. If you are in the general service district, contact your private hauler for your pick-up schedule, as some private haulers have bi-weekly collection.

3. Q: How and where can I recycle plastic bags and other stretchy plastics?

A: Bags and stretchy film plastic, like the bubble wrap and pillows that come in packages are not recyclable in your household recycling, but they can be taken to our Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) to be recycled separately. They can also be included in the grocery bag recycling bins at most grocery stores, just pop the air out and include it with your plastic bags.

CHaRM is located at 1005 College Avenue. Please visit www.accgov.com/charm for the most updated hours and operations.

NOTE: The reason that we can not accept stretchy film plastic such as bags, bubble wrap, and film pillows in the regular recycling is because they are considered "tanglers" in our recycling facility. They get caught and wrapped in the rotating machinery that sorts the materials, and can jam and break the machines. While these materials are technically "recyclable," they need to be processed separately for this reason.

4. Q: How do I recycle Shredded Paper? Why can it not go in the bin?

A: Shredded paper needs to be handled separately from other recyclables. Smaller pieces of paper stick to other materials and/or blow around and make a mess. Shredded documents can be dropped off at the following locations: 

• ACC Recycling Facility - 699 Hancock Industrial Way
• CHaRM - 1005 College Ave
• lower parking lot across the street of ACC Human Resources Office - 375 Satula Avenue

All locations have a large dumpster labeled for shredded paper only. Shredded paper should be in a clear plastic bag, or a box. 

Documents for shredding can be dropped off at the CHaRM. Please see the CHaRM website for hours and fees, http://accgov.com/charm. We store the documents in locked, secure roll carts within the CHaRM. Lindsay Group’s mobile document shredding units come by the CHaRM on a regular basis to destroy the documents and transport them to the recycling facility for proper recycling. There is a charge of $2.00 for each Bankers-size box of documents to be shredded.

Hard Drives can also be dropped off for destruction for $10 each, or can be donated to FREE IT Athens, a local non-profit, who will wipe the hard drive for secure reuse in their refurbishing operations.

5. Q: What is single stream recycling?

A: Single stream recycling collection means that accepted recyclables in ACC can be collected mixed together in one container and collected by one truck. Primarily, we are looking for bottles, cans, containers, paper, and cardboard. This DOES NOT mean that trash is mixed with recyclables.

6. Q: Your signs say ‘no plastic bags’; can I put my recyclables in a bag?

A: We would prefer that recyclables be placed in the cart or dumpster loose, because bags cause processing issues and damage to the machinery within our facility. Please dump recyclables out of the bag into the cart or dumpster if your materials are already bagged. If absolutely necessary to bag your recyclables, you may use a clear trash bag only. NOTE: Plastic bags and any other kind of film plastic, stretch wrap, or packing bubbles should go to the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) or back to your grocery store for specialized recycling.

7. Q: Batteries and light bulbs: where I can recycle them?

A: You can recycle batteries, light bulbs, and a long list of other items at the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM), located at 1005 College Avenue. Please visit accgov.com/charm for the most updated hours and operations.

8. Q: Can I recycle my pizza boxes?

A: Yes please, just make sure they’re not contaminated with food – no cheese, crusts, dipping sauce or those little peppers. If you have a box that is greasy on the bottom half, but perfectly clean on the top, rip it in half at the fold and recycle the clean part. We would rather have half the amount of material and clean, than the whole material but dirty.

9. Q: My roll-cart is full and I have more recyclables. What do I do?

A: Applaud yourself for being a super recycler! Then, put any extra recyclables in a container clearly marked “RECYCLABLES”, preferably a box. If you must bag them, make sure the bag is CLEAR so it is not confused as trash. Overflow trash costs, make sure collection crews know it is recyclables and not trash.

10. Q: Why can’t plastic bags, wraps, etc., be recycled on the curb or at a drop-off site?

A: Film/stretch plastic (which is what we call bags and wraps) is made to stretch. When bags/wraps come through the recycling facility sorting process they often wrap around conveyor belt rollers, potentially causing thousands of dollars in damage to the equipment.

Additional Bag Information.

11. Q: What questions should I be asking that would help my family become more efficient recyclers?

A. Follow the recycling rules wherever you are – the rules are not always the same. In fact, city to city, they rarely are the same. You should encourage colleagues, co-workers and friends to do the same. Make sure your neighbor is at least recycling all those cardboard boxes! If you do a pie chart of all the various materials going into American landfills these days, plain old cardboard, non-recyclable paper and food scraps are the only items in the double-digit percentages. Cardboard is super easy to recycle; food scraps and most non-recyclable paper can be composted.
Like most expensive equipment, the recycling facility operates most efficiently at large scale. So the more they recycle, the better. But no cheating! – only recyclable items please.
Many other items can be recycled at our Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM). Styrofoam and plastic bags are perfectly recyclable, but not in the regular recycling stream.
Look ‘upstream’ to reduce the amount of scrap you generate in the first place. Buy in bulk, reuse items when you can, and compost what cannot be recycled.

12. Q: How can I get one those amazing reusable recycling bags for my recycling?

Thank you for recycling! You can pick up recycling bags at any of our locations:

Solid Waste Admin Office	ACC Landfill	CHaRM (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials)
725 Hancock Industrial Way Athens, GA 30605	5700 Lexington Rd. Winterville, GA 30683	1005 College Ave Athens, GA 30601
Monday-Friday: 8 AM - 5 PM	Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM	Tuesday 10 AM - 7 PM Wednesday 10 AM - 7 PM Saturday 8 AM - Noon

13. Q: What do I need to know to insure that the things I recycle are actually sold to be repurposed?

A:
1. This goes to the heart of recycling – nothing gets recycled until it gets turned into new product and purchased. So while it may seem a bit removed, purchasing materials with recycled content is a great way to ensure long-term stability of recycling programs. Look for post-consumer recycled content in the products you buy – the higher the percentage, the better.

2. Follow the rules. Containers should be clean and empty, and cardboard should be flattened. Place all items loose into your recycling roll cart, dumpster or drop-site container (no bags). Caps can be left on, tape does not have to be removed.

14. Q: Plastics are confusing, which ones can I recycle?

A: Clean and empty, rigid plastic containers such as cups, bottles, jugs, food trays, tubs, toys, buckets, and bins are accepted in the regular recycling. For a more detailed list and photos, visit accgov.com/recycle or email recycle@accgov.com

We do NOT accept stretchy or flexible plastics such as bags, wraps, bubble packaging, Styrofoam, chip bags or snack wrappers. Disposable plates and cutlery are also NOT recyclable.

Styrofoam and stretchy plastic (bags, wraps, etc) can be recycled separately at the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM). CHaRM is located at 1005 College Avenue. Please visit accgov.com/charm for the most updated hours and operations.

Email recycle@accgov.com if you have questions.

15. Q: Can caps and lids be left on containers for recycling?

A:
Plastic lid on plastic container: Yes. Empty and rinse container and place the cap or lid back on the container.
Metal lid on glass container: No, please remove lid before recycling.
Plastic lid on glass container: No, please remove lid and dispose of before recycling.

Lids and pop-tops are also accepted as a donation at our Teacher Reuse Store for arts and crafts reuse. Teacher Reuse Store is located at our CHaRM facility, at 1005 College Avenue.

16. Q: What is a Pay-As-You-Throw garbage collection system?

A: Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) (also called unit pricing, variable rate pricing, user-pay or volume based garbage systems) is a usage-pricing model for disposing of municipal solid waste. Athens solid waste service providers (both public and private) provide the following trash container sizes with appropriate rate differential between each level of service provided. •20/25 gallon container; base rate •30/35 gallon container; 10% minimum increase over 20/25 gallon container •60/65 gallon container; 20% minimum increase over 30/35 gallon container •90/95 gallon container; 30% minimum increase over 60/65 gallon container •Higher generators of garbage with combination bins; service fee should be higher than the 90/95 gallon container price and set by franchised solid waste service provider. If you are an avid recycler, we added the 20/25 gallon trash roll-cart just for you! Contact your hauler today and ask about this cart size. NOTE: The 20/25 gallon trash roll-cart will need to be provided by you, the customer and can be purchased at Lowe’s or Home Depot. The ACC Solid Waste Department will provide a sticker to indicate the 20/25 gallon size.

17. Q: What is the biggest mistake residential customers make in recycling?

A: Putting recyclables in a bag causes a lot of problems for the recycling facility. Keeping the material loose allows the staff and equipment to process it faster, and more safely. Bags are also one of the worst "tanglers" within the facility, getting caught and tangled in sorting equipment. Additionally, if material is in a black trash bag, the sorters will assume (usually correctly) that the contents are trash, and will send them to the landfill.
Another common mistake is sending mixed materials, or non-like materials inside one another. For example, a cardboard box full of packing foam or bubble wrap makes it very difficult to process the cardboard, and the foam and stretchy plastic are two of our worst contaminants. Cardboard should be flattened, with the packing contents removed. Plastic bags and other tanglers, food residue and Styrofoam should not go in the recycling.

18. Q: Dog food bags are not recyclable. Why?

A: Most feed bags for pets and livestock are made of woven Polypropylene plastic (PP, or #5 plastic) and often carry the recycling symbol, but are NOT recyclable. While we accept #5 cups and containers, we cannot accept the #5 bags, for the same reason we cannot accept any film plastic bag, shrink-wrap, bubble-wrap etc. - when processed, the stretchy plastic gets wrapped around the sorting equipment. Even paper feed bags usually have a plastic liner that makes them unrecyclable in the Athens single-stream process. The only large bags we can process are those made ONLY of paper, like a charcoal bag or empty lawn/leaf refuse bag. If your large bag tears easily with no stretching, it can be included for recycling.

19. Q: What is the Waste Minimization Fee?

A: In many communities, a Waste Minimization, Education or Franchise Fees are fees levied upon solid waste service providers (both public and private) to help defray the cost of the waste reduction programs in their community. Regardless of the name, these fees are typically used to help local governments fund waste reduction infrastructure and education. The ACCUG Waste Minimization Fee was approved in Oct., 2011 and is used to defray costs associated with program management of the waste reduction goals approved by the Mayor and Commission. The ACCUG Waste Minimization Fee is collected quarterly from the franchised solid waste service providers, both public and private, in the USD and GSD for both residential and commercial customers. The fee is $0.60/month/residential unit and $1.60/month/commercial entity and is shown as a separate line item on the garbage bill.