The City of Thomasville has announced changes to the City’s recycling center hours. Effective immediately, the Recycling Center located in the 1200 block of Remington Avenue behind Fire Rescue Station Three will operate from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. The center will be closed on Sundays. The Recycling Center will also be staffed during normal operating hours.
“We are fortunate to live in a community that values environmentally responsible practices such as recycling,” said Jimmy Smith, Jr., Solid Waste and Landfill Superintendent. “Staffing and setting hours at the recycling center will allow us to improve the overall recycling program for our community.”
According to Smith, staffing the center under the new hours of operation will help limit contamination of the recycling bins. “The City of Thomasville currently accepts cardboard, metal, steel, and aluminum cans,” he said. “Contamination occurs when items that are not recyclable are mixed in with accepted items, when recyclables are not clean, or if they are placed in bins inside trash or plastic bags. Having staff available on-site will help limit contamination and allow us to provide education about how to recycle properly.”
Some of the best practices for recycling include the following:
- Rinse your recyclable aluminum cans to be sure they are free of debris and liquids.
- Metal & steel should be free of food, debris, or liquids. Examples would be rinsing out recyclable vegetable metal cans or removing water from a water heater.
- Break down cardboard boxes and be sure that they are free of staples, tape, or any other material(s) that is not cardboard related before tossing them in the bin. Keep in mind that cardboard with residue such as greasy pizza boxes cannot be accepted.
- It is important to follow recycling rules closely to avoid bin contamination. Items that are not currently accepted at the Recycling Center include: plastic, plastic bags, Styrofoam, household garbage, batteries, yard debris, tires, and glass.
- Be sure to place your recyclables in the correct bin. Signage has been placed on the bins to let citizens know where to place each item.
The City also offers electronics recycling twice each year (at designated locations) and curbside white goods recycling, which includes items such as household appliances, the third Saturday of each month (by request only for City residential customers). “In addition, the Solid Waste Department also holds annual recycling events such as Spring Clean and our popular Christmas tree recycling program,” said Smith. “We are committed to offering our customers easy solutions for their recycling needs. Proper recycling practices are key to a healthy recycling program.”
“Our community is filled with citizens who wish to contribute to a greener community,” said Smith. “Staffing and establishing hours of operation at the Recycling Center is a way for us to thank recycling participants while allowing us the opportunity to better serve the community with a more efficient recycling program.”
For more information about the City of Thomasville Recycling Center, call 229-227-7092 or visit www.thomasville.org.