Warren County has rescheduled its recycling roundup for Saturday after weather forced the postponement of the original event.
Sanitation Solid Waste Director Tanya Herman said the roundup gives residents an alternative way to dispose of materials that can take up landfill space or harm the environment.
“Events like this do make a difference on how much is dumped on the side of the road,” Herman said. “Also, I did explain to the crew, the group that is putting this on that we actually offer metal recycling as well as tire disposal.”
Residents can bring batteries, clothing, textiles, crayons, eyeglasses, electronics, cables, cords, mattresses, medical supplies, medications, ink cartridges and Styrofoam. The event will also offer on-site paper shredding and accept glass, scrap metal and tires.
“Those items do not disintegrate and they do harm the environment if it goes into the landfill,” Herman said. “So if we can give other options, it helps to protect the environment and save room in landfills to keep them out of there and it can be recycled and reused.”
Herman said the county diverted 20 percent of its waste from the landfill last month through its recycling efforts.
“Our diversion rate for last month was 20%, doesn’t sound like a large number, but if you figure 20% over a year not going to the landfill… it keeps 25% out of the landfill and it’s not on the side of the road to make the area look dirty or not well kept,” Herman said.
Materials collected during the roundup will be sent to different processing facilities. Herman said companies including Spring Back, Liberty Tire and Shred-it handle specific materials collected through the program.
“So the specific commodities that are being picked up at this event will actually be going out of state to different recycling facilities because each line item that comes in here, like Spring Back is the mattress recycling, Liberty Tire takes the tires to their facility and processes them, Shred-it takes care of the paper, some of the items are sent to CFC to put back into their recycling streams,” Herman said.
The collection will take place from 9am to 1pm at the Warren County Sanitation Department, located at 1186 Belmont Drive in McMinnville. Herman said the county partnered with the Tennessee Environmental Council to collect specialized materials.
Herman said residents with questions about whether a particular item will be accepted or how it should be disposed of can contact the Warren County Sanitation Department for guidance.