Alpharetta’s curbside glass recycling program has now ended. Republic Services ran the final day of collections on Friday, August 12, closing the book on a program that had been plagued by inconsistent service.
What if I still have a glass recycling bin and do not want it?
If you did not place your glass recycling bin at the curbside for collection the week of August 8 -12 or if the bin was not removed by Republic Services during the week, you still have an opportunity to get rid of the bin. Next week, August 15 – 18, you may drop off your unwanted bin between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM at the City of Alpharetta Public Works Department which is located at 1790 Hembree Road.
Please note that bins must be empty when they are dropped-off.
Will I see a reduction in my trash/recycling bill?
The removal of the curbside glass recycling service from the Republic Services contract will reduce the monthly cost of service for an Alpharetta household by $4.19. That means your quarterly trash/recycling bill will go down by $12.57.
What about money I already paid for the glass recycling service?
Residents who pay for trash and recycling services on a quarterly basis will receive a credit of $12.57 on their next bill. Those residents who made an annual payment for the service will be issued a refund of $47.77.
So, how should I dispose of glass now?
Beginning the week of August 15, glass will no longer be accepted in Alpharetta’s curbside recycling program. In fact, placing glass in with other recyclables will result in items that could otherwise be recycled being routed to the landfill.
Until further notice, Alpharetta residents will have two options for disposing of glass refuse.
(1) Homeowners may place glass items in their regular trash, or
(2) Those residents who wish to continue recycling glass may take glass recyclables to the Keep North Fulton Beautiful recycling center located at 470 Morgan Falls Road in Sandy Springs
Has the City considered other options for recycling glass?
The City has been exploring alternatives since January when we first started thinking that the curbside glass recycling program may have to be ended. These alternatives included reducing the frequency of service and establishing one or more drop-off sites located at City parks or other properties. Officials noted that reducing the frequency of service, even to only once per month, provided little to no cost savings and no promise of improving the consistency or quality of service. They also noted that other communities that have established unstaffed drop-off stations for glass recyclables have experienced ongoing issues with improper disposal of other materials in and around the stations.
The City has also attempted to negotiate an agreement with the City of Roswell for use of that city’s recycling center by Alpharetta residents, but those efforts have, thus far, been unsuccessful.
Has Alpharetta given up on glass recycling?
The City continues to work to develop an alternative to throwing glass in the trash and will notify residents as soon as that alternative is established.