I’ve gotten this question a few times lately, and thought the reply was worth posting for all to see.
First of all, if you are a Peachtree City resident, I hope you know and are taking advantage of the new curbside recycling availability. If you pay a garbage company for curbside residential trash pickup, comingled curbside recycling is included in the base rate – all in one recycling bin, no muss, no fuss. Give your company a call – it won’t cost you any more.
On to the question – With all those pieces of different material, including broken glass, is that can of stuff I’ve put out for recycling REALLY being recycled? How?
I forwarded the question to Keep Peachtree City Beautiful Director (KPTCB) Al Yougel, who has seen the process in action. He describes it below:
“Single stream (or co-mingled) materials are taken to either Pratt Industries or SP Recycling’s MRF locations. MRF stands for….if I remember correctly….Material Recovery Facility. I have been to one and it is a process to behold. Both Pratt & SP mechanically separate the co-mingled material using convert belts, blowers, spinners, magnets, etc., plus a few people who remove by hand the obvious (and sometimes) difficult foreign objects. Separated items are bailed (or in the case of glass, are crushed) and sold to companies who actually recycle the material.”
KPTCB also helps us keep tabs on the quarterly tonnage reports submitted by all five garbage companies for both total collections and recycling.
For a list of providers in Peachtree City and their base prices and contact info, visit www.peachtree-city.org/garbage .
Thanks!
Betsy
