Solid Waste Authority donates more than 1,000 recycling collection bags to local schools

Published 12:01 am Thursday, March 12, 2020

The Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, which runs the local recycling center, donated more than 1,000 specialized bags for teachers to be able to collect recycling in their classrooms this year.

For more than a decade, the authority has provided free collection of recycling for schools and free educational activities and trips from a certified instructor. Last year, 304,720 pounds of recycling were collected, but many teachers struggled to collect recycling because they didn’t have anywhere for their students to put their items inside the school.

To help teachers support recycling without having to pull from their own budget to purchase a classroom bin, the authority designed and purchased bags available for all teachers in Whitfield County Schools, Dalton Public Schools and Christian Heritage School.

Principals and teachers alike were excited to receive their free collection bags. Kim Rhyne, principal of City Park School, said, “Thank you for doing this. I am excited to get these to my teachers.” and Mandy Satcher, a fourth-grade teacher at Varnell Elementary, talked about the power of providing a way for students to recycle: “This will help encourage the kids to recycle and save the environment.”

The authority provides a monthly report to schools with their recycling rates so that they can keep track and help encourage their students to recycle. It also runs a Facebook and Instagram page for Recycling Ben, the beloved mascot that helps promote recycling in the schools. Together they will be able to target recycling in 2020.

Target Recycling at School provides recycling collection services and environmental education opportunities to schools in Whitfield County. For more information, call (706) 278-5001 or visit www.dwswa.org.