External Website www.acc-recycle.org Administration & Customer Service 706-613-3501 706-613-3504 [Fax]   Litter Hotline 706-613-3506 Recycling Division 706-613-3512 Hours 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Solid Waste Director Jim Corley Location 1005 College Avenue Location Map Mailing Address P.O. Box 1868 Athens, GA 30603

NEW! Solid Waste Offices will be closed on July 3 in observance of Independence Day:

Athens-Clarke County Solid Waste Department offices, including main office, Recycling Division and Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful offices, will be closed on Friday, July 3, 2009, for the Independence Day holiday. However, all collections will be run according to normal schedules.

The landfill will be open on Friday, July 3 from 7:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and on Saturday, July 4 from 7:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

For more information or questions about pickup, call (706) 613-3501 or go to www.acc-recycle.org.

NEW! The Athens-Clarke County Solid Waste Department Recycling Division announces that the recycling drop-off location at 2026 South Milledge Avenue will close on August 1, 2009. The bins will be moved to make way for additional parking spaces.

The ACC Recycling Division is looking for another location for recycling in that area and welcomes suggestions or opportunities.

Until another location has been determined, residents should plan to use one of the eight remaining drop-off locations around Athens-Clarke County.

For more information on what can be recycled and a complete list of drop off locations, contact the ACC Recycling Facility at 706-613-3512 or visit www.acc-recycle.org.

NEW! The Leaf & Limb pickup schedule for debris created by the March 2, 2009 snow storm has been enhanced. For current schedules, visit www.acc-recycle.org.

The March 2, 2009 storm caused more damage and required more debris pickup than any other storm since unification. The largest amount of storm debris collected by the Unified Government during a one month period of time prior to this storm was 630 tons. In March 2009, Solid Waste collected 1280 tons of debris. Normal Leaf & Limb tonnage for March is 350 tons. In April, approximately 1100 tons was collected.

During the first two weeks after the storm, Solid Waste crews worked with Transportation and Public Works to clear roadways and sidewalks to ensure the safety of the travelling public on local streets. At the end of those two weeks, Solid Waste crews, with the assistance of Transportation and Public Works crews and equipment, began the massive cleanup effort noted above. These joint efforts have continued six days a week since that time. Due to the unprecedented volume of material, crews have spent 2-3 weeks in certain zones.

The Solid Waste Department has received questions from citizens about why the urban service area has not received full Leaf & Limb collection since the storm. On Friday, February 27, 2009, two days before the storm, Solid Waste crews finished their normal Leaf & Limb pickup in the urban service area. When the two weeks of work with Transportation and Public Works to clear roadways was completed, Solid Waste began its normal pick up cycle in zones 1 and 2 since those and all other zones had not received service prior to the storm.

“In an effort to manage budget constraints while being responsive to cleanup needs, Solid Waste has attempted to use in-house resources to complete pickups in all areas of the county by the end of May,” said Manager Alan Reddish. “This approach seemed appropriate given budget concerns and the fact that the debris presents virtually no public safety issues, mainly aesthetic concerns as noted by citizens.”

Last week it became apparent that the May goal would not be met. A plan was developed to subcontract with private haulers to assist Solid Waste's efforts. Solid Waste director Jim Corley has located five vehicles with drivers and they began assisting Solid Waste crews on Thursday, May 7. This will allow the normal pickup cycle to continue and will place an additional pickup crew simultaneously in the urban service area. The lease cost for the use of these vehicles for the next four weeks will be approximately $66,000. It is projected that the Leaf & Limb operation will exceed its landfill disposal budget by $50,000 for Fiscal Year 2009 (FY09) prior to the enhanced services being added. Solid Waste is required to pay the same landfill disposal fees as other customers due to the nature of the enterprise fund.

The regular 8-week, Monday - Friday weekly collection cycle for Leaf & Limb is expected to resume sometime in June 2009. Download the most current schedule at www.acc-recycle.org.

Citizens are reminded that the normal restrictions on Leaf & Limb sizes and amounts were exempted only for storm debris collection. Material not meeting these requirements will require a special pickup by Solid Waste and associated fee or self-hauling to the landfill and associated fee. For full requirements and updated collection schedules, please visit www.acc-recycle.org or call 706-613-3501 ext 441.

NEW! Bicycle tire and tube recycling is now available at the ACC Landfill. Residents are reminded that old, torn or shredded tires and tubes are recyclable. The tires can be brought to the ACC Landfill at 5700 Lexington Road during normal business hours of Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Residents must check in at the scale house prior to tire drop off, price is based on tonnage.

NEW! A new recycling drop off location has been established at Athens Technical College. The bins are located at the Job Quest Center on Highway 29, across the street from the main campus. For more information on what can be recycled and a complete list of drop off locations, contact the ACC Recycling Facility at 706-613-3512 or visit www.acc-recycle.org.

A series of 40 Cigarette Litter Receptacles (CLRs) have been installed on parking meters and light poles in a pilot area of downtown Athens. The CLRs, pronounced are meant to provide a means for cigarette smokers to dispose of their used cigarettes in an eye-catching receptacle that is unique to Athens. The pilot area includes the South side of West Washington Street from Pulaski Street to College Avenue, both sides of North Lumpkin Street from Washington Street to Broad Street, and the South side of East Clayton Street from Lumpkin Street to College Avenue.

The CLRs were collaboratively designed with Athens Design Development (ADD) and the Athens-Clarke County Solid Waste Department’s Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful program with assistance from the Athens-Clarke County Stormwater Management Program, the Athens-Clarke County Public Information Office, the Athens Downtown Development Authority, and the Athens Tobacco Prevention Coalition.

The group began meeting in 2006 to look into ways to address the potential increase of outdoor cigarette litter in downtown Athens resulting from the indoor smoking ban adopted in 2005. After researching available commercial cigarette litter disposal options, the group opted to collaborate with Athens-based ADD to produce a series of prototype receptacles that were evaluated and tested to produce a CLR model that was attractive and met its design criteria. The CLRs not only needed to be eye catching, but also tamper proof and easy for staff to empty. The design also needed to keep water and trash from accumulating inside. 

Funding for the 40 CLRs comes from a grant from the Cigarette Litter Prevention Program of Keep America Beautiful and funds provided by the Athens Tobacco Prevention Coalition. A cigarette litter count was conducted to help determine the several adjacent blocks used for the pilot project. Receptacle locations were then selected based in part on the areas with the highest concentration of discarded cigarettes. After the CLRs are installed, a follow-up scan will be conducted to evaluate their effectiveness. The initial installation will provide information for potential expansion of the program to other areas downtown and throughout Athens-Clarke County.

As part of GreenFest, images, prototypes, cigarette litter studies, and documents from the CLR design process will be on display in the Lyndon House Arts Center at 293 Hoyt Street until June 7 during normal operating hours.

Athens-Clarke County Recycling Division’s – Recyclers of the Year Announced

On Friday, April 18, 2008 the Athens-Clarke County (ACC) Recycling Division will recognize the ACC Recyclers of the Year at the 4th Annual GreenFest Awards Ceremony.  The ceremony reception starts at 5:30 p.m. and the awards ceremony starts at 6:15 p.m. at the Lyndon House Arts Center.  The 2008 winners are as follows:

Industry Recycler of the Year is AT&T

AT&T sends approximately, 24,000 pounds of metals, 200 pounds of plastics, 400 pounds of cardboard, 100 pounds of batteries and 800 pounds of paper to be recycled monthly. 

Business Recycler of the Year is Fairway Outdoor Advertising

Over the past year, Fairway has introduced several “green” initiatives and also donated materials and space for the “Think at the Sink” campaign to promote water conservation and Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful’s “Cigarette Fairy” campaign promoting litter reduction. 

School Recycler of the Year – Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School

Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School (OAES) began its recycling program in earnest during the 2006-07 school year.  By January, OAES had collected 323,668 pieces of plastic.

Individual Recycler of the Year – Frances Lang

Frances tirelessly looks for ways to reuse and recycle all her personal items AND the items at her place of employment, Jo-Ann Fabrics. 

For more information about the event, call the Athens-Clarke County Recycling Division at

(706) 613-3512 or visit www.acc-recycle.org and click special events.

The newest installment of the ACC Recycling Division TrashTalk Podcast (on carbon footprints) is available for download via iTunes or at the Solid Waste external Web site.

Alkaline batteries can now be recycled at the Solid Waste Department on College Ave. or the Recycling Facility (699 Hancock Industrial Way).

Hardback book recycling is now available! Residents and businesses can now recycle their hardcover books for free at the Athens-Clarke County Landfill, located at 3700 Lexington Road in Athens. For more information about  this program, residents should call the ACC Recycling Division at 706-613-3512 or visit www.acc-recycle.org.

Athens-Clarke County ordinance states that all loads of trash and debris must be completely covered. This coverage must provide a secure method of preventing contents or litter from dropping or escaping from the vehicle during movement. Beginning immediately, all loads of trash to be dropped off at the ACC Landfill must be covered. If loads arrive uncovered, drivers will be refused admittance to the landfill and not allowed to drop off their load. For more information, call the Athens-Clarke County Landfill at 706-613-3508.

List of approved residential and commercial haulers in Athens-Clarke County

Among those honored at the 28th Annual Keep Georgia Beautiful Awards Luncheon in October was Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful, which received a 1st Place State Award for the Cigarette Fairy Litter Prevention Campaign.

The Litter Prevention Category recognizes educational and remedial efforts designed to change attitudes and behaviors, resulting in a positive impact on a community.
KACCB created the Cigarette Fairy public awareness campaign as a creative and innovative way to address the problem of cigarette butt litter.

The campaign highlights a make-believe fairy who picks up discarded cigarette butts from the ground. The campaign was meant to bring attention to cigarette butts as litter and to remind citizens who smoke to dispose of their cigarette waste properly, as cigarette butts do not disintegrate over time.

The Cigarette Fairy public awareness campaign can be seen on UGA buses, Athens Transit buses, Fairway billboards, Beechwood Stadium Cinemas screens, Georgia Square Cinema screens, ACTV, eight cable channels, selected downtown bars, businesses, and newspapers.

Phonebooks for recycling can be placed in the paper recycling bins in your office, curbside collection at home, or at one of seven drop-off locations around Athens.

Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful (KACCB) was presented the National Rogers Award for outstanding television public service announcements at the 2005 Keep America Beautiful National Awards ceremony in Orlando, FL.

Visit the Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful Web site for more information.

Please report missed garbage and/or recycling within 24 hours of your scheduled pick-up. Just call 706-613-3501, extension 0.

Please give our drivers and collectors a hand by following these trash tips:

• All garbage must be bagged - no loose garbage will be accepted. Loose trash can become litter!
• Don't allow water to accumulate in the garbage can - it becomes too heavy to liftand/or move.
• Construction and demolition (C&D) debris (example - wood, shingles, drywall,
  etc.) should not be placed in your trash can. Please contact the ACC Landfill for proper disposal of C&D material at 706-613-3508.
• Blue bag customers - please don't place more than 40 pounds of garbage in the blue bags (and no more than 40 pounds of recyclables in clear bags).

These tips help our drivers and collectors stay safe and our community clean. For additional information, contact the ACC Solid Waste office at 706-613-3501, extension 0.

Full cost of providing solid waste management services

ACC Residents can now recycle their old electronics for free on a regular basis. Bring your electronics to the ACC Landfill located on 5700 Lexington Rd. between 7:30 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. on Mon-Fri, or between 7:30 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. on Saturdays.

The Glass Packaging Institute has featured Athens-Clarke County's commercial curbside recycling program in the downtown area as a model program.

Residents are required to use PAPER LAWN REFUSE BAGS for all grass clippings, pine straw, small brush, and leaves. No plastic bags will be accepted. Paper lawn refuse bags are available in the Home and Garden section of Target, Wal-Mart, and other local retail stores.

Awards

• National First Place Award for ACC Recycling & Proud About Cedar Shoals (PACS) for their high school recycling program by Keep America Beautiful (2003)
• ACC presented Overall Environmental Leadership Award by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce (2002)
• Best Paper Recycling award in the Schools and Institutions category from the American Forest & Paper Association (2001)
• National Recycling at Work award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors in March 2001
• National Recycling Coalition's (NRC) Best Government Program Award for 2000

Activities
The ACC Solid Waste Department provides garbage and recycling services to approximately 8,600 residents in the Urban Services District. We provide garbage and recycling services for approximately 350 commercial businesses in the downtown area and also provide garbage and recycling dumpster services to another 300 businesses in the community. In order to provide recycling opportunities to all residents of the county, the ACC Recycling Division operates 7 recycling drop-off centers conveniently located throughout the county. The recycling drop-off centers are open seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful
Executive Director: Stacee Ferrell
(706) 613-3501
Formerly a secondary agency, KACCB is now a part of the Solid Waste Department. Their mission is to work towards a cleaner, more beautiful community by improving attitudes and behaviors regarding the environment. They handle neighborhood cleanups, Adopt-a-Highway Programs, Christmas Tree recycling and more.

Materials Recycling Facility
699 Hancock Industrial Way
7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
(706) 613-3512 [Recycling Division]
Waste Reduction Manager: Suki Janssen
The MRF opened on August 31, 1995 as the first public-private partnership facility of its kind in Georgia. Only private and public-sector haulers may deliver recyclables to this facility. It is not open to the public. The facility is owned and operated by FCR, Inc. and located on ACC owned land. Tours and educational programs are available by request; please call (706) 613-3512 to schedule a visit.

Landfill
5700 Lexington Road
(706) 613-3508
Manager: Brad Rickard

Solid Waste Citizens Advisory Committee
The SWCAC is the ONLY committee formed during Athens and Clarke County government unification that is still in existence. It celebrated its 10th anniversary in January 2002. A fact sheet is available in our documents section.