Apartment complexes make it easier to recycle

Student Sibyl Stumm recycles her water bottle at the Zell B. Miller Learning Center

An excited Sarah Tabor holds her recycling bag at the Reserve Apartments


By Matthew Allen

ATHENS, Ga. – Sarah Tabor, a UGA student and resident of the Reserve -- a student housing community off College Station Road -- used to pack up her recyclables and lug them out of the complex to a recycling center, but in recent weeks the Reserve has taken steps to simplify the process.

The Reserve began offering recycling to its residents just a couple of weeks ago, according to Jennifer Moulliet, a community assistant there.

“Our residents pushed for it,” Moulliet said. “A lot of them had to go on-campus, and we just wanted to make it easier on them.”

“It’s much more convenient,” said Tabor, who appreciates the recent recycling revelation.

Other Athens apartment complexes are starting to offer recycling, so students don’t have to lug their cans, bottles and paper to campus.

The 75-member Athens Apartment Association has made a recent push to offer recycling at more complexes around the university and in the Athens area, according to association President Courtney Redmond.

The association consists of the managers of Athens area apartments; the group meets to discuss various topics of interest.

Redmond is particularly proud of the recent developments at the Reserve, calling it one of the apartment association’s best success stories. 909 Broad Street Apartments, the property that Redmond manages, also offers recycling to residents.

“Every complex has their own management, and makes their own decision,” said Redmond. “I have chosen to make it available for my residents.”

909 Broad Street residents fill a 96-gallon recycling cart to the brim three times a week, according to Redmond. The solid waste department’s Web site gives a rate of $28 per 96 gallon container. So, it would cost the complex roughly $84 per week, or $336 per month, to offer recycling. And since the complex consists of 211 units, each unit would cost the complex less than two dollars.

The recycling programs that are popping up around Athens are run primarily through the Athens-Clarke County Solid Waste Department, which allows for the recycling of bottles, cans and paper items.

At Rivermill Apartments, located almost on campus on Stone Mill Run, management is still in the process of choosing a recycling provider, according to Melissa Hill, a community employee. Hill said that the services are expensive, and the complex is not sure who it wants as a provider.

Polo Club Condominiums, located next to the Reserve off College Station Road, is also in the process of talking to providers.

Many apartment complexes still do not offer recycling to their residents, but each has different reasons why. The Lodge of Athens, located at 211 North Ave., said that they used to offer recycling to residents but had to stop because of abuse.

“Residents were just throwing all kinds of stuff in there,” said Tashiera Lawrence, a community assistant at the Lodge.

The Summit apartments on Barnett Shoals Road do not offer recycling because residents can use the bins located on campus or at the police station up the street. And a source at Whitslebury apartments on North Avenue said that recycling just hasn’t seemed to work out.

For residents of complexes that do not currently offer recycling, the option is still available on the UGA campus. The UGA Physical Plant, which is a separate entity from the solid waste department, has recycling containers located throughout campus where students can recycle both plastic and paper.

In the end, all material from both the Athens-Clarke County Solid Waste Department and the UGA Physical plant ends up going to the same facility, according to Roderick Platt, manager of the UGA Physical Plant. The recycling facility where traditional material, plastic and paper, is processed is run by Casella Waste Systems, Inc., an external company. But, Casella is strictly limited to processing only traditional material.

“Basically, our recycling center only takes certain things,” said Platt. “We have to work within our means.”

However, non-traditional items can still be recycled, according to Platt. Some niche recycling companies process other materials such as wooden pallets and scrap metals, along with other items found on the solid waste department’s Web site.

Edited by Jamie Lamberski