Take Carolyn Mitchell at the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce for example. A self-described tree hugger, she sends out office-wide emails to remind fellow employees to recycle. "It's not that they don't want to recycle," she observes. "People simply get busy and forget." She thinks she sees a temporary increase in the recycle bins when she sends the emails.
"There is no one telling employees that they must recycle. It's strictly voluntary. Yet I would say that about 90 percent of the employees participate," Mitchell muses. "I think that the Chamber should set a positive example for other businesses."
After a pause, she laughs, "It's nice that even visitors seem to get into the spirit. Of course the bins are right there for everyone to see, but they're pretty good about putting their containers and all in the correct bins." The bins are beside desks and in the copy room for paper, and in the kitchen for plastic, cans and paper. "When I came in 2002, they already had the paper recycling bins. Then they added bins for other recyclables like plastics and cans in 2003," she recalls.
Mayor Ron Littlefield held a press conference at the Waterhouse Pavilion at Miller Plaza in January. The Mayor introduced Rocky the Recycling Raccoon to promote Chattanooga's monthly curbside recycling program. Rocky is the mascot for Team Recycle, a joint effort between the City of Chattanooga and Orange Grove Center. As the Recycle Right website explains, there are three steps in the recycling process. The joint venture completes the first two steps to help direct some 330 tons of waste into recycling for reuse instead of being dumped into landfills. It also provides jobs for Orange Grove Center clients.
But according to John Chamberlain, Recycling Coordinator, Orange Grove Center has additional recycling services targeted specifically at businesses. "Recycle Express provides weekly pickup of cardboard, mixed paper, glass, plastic and aluminum for $20 per month. Well over 100 businesses are currently participating."
He points out that the waste to be recycled varies by type of business. Real estate offices generate large volumes of paper to be recycled. Liquor stores generate cardboard boxes. Small bars and restaurants generate cardboard and beverage containers. By paying a small amount for the service, the businesses enjoy weekly frequency of pickups rather than just the monthly curbside pickup.
Recycle Express has been operating for about three years. "BlueCross BlueShield (of Tennessee) has been recycling for a long time. They even recycle computer stuff like printer cartridges," Chamberlain recalls. "They plan to incorporate recycling into their new (headquarters office) complex on Cameron Hill."
He also noted that businesses like BCBS, doctors offices and others that process security sensitive documents first shred the paper before recycling it. "The tiny pieces of paper make our job harder, but we still handle it. (They refuse shredded paper in the curbside program and at the convenience centers.)
"Another department of Orange Grove Center provides document destruction services and we recycle their paper too," says Chamberlain.
The cooperative arrangement between Orange Grove Center and the City of Chattanooga extends to four recycling drop-off convenience centers as well. The convenience centers accept glass bottles (brown, green and clear), computers and small electronics (no TVs or microwaves), wet cell batteries, motor oil, shredded paper, as well as all paper except shredded, cardboard, plastic #1 and #2 (bottles with a neck), aluminum cans, and steel cans that are recyclable through the curbside program.
________________The portable recycling trailer sits on the City of Chattanooga's future second permanent collection site located on Access Rd. at DuPont Pkwy., beside the Refuse Collection Center. The facility is accepting recyclables even as a permanent office is under construction in the background.
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A permanent facility is located at Warner Park Recycle Center, 1250 East Third St. A second permanent facility will be complete in about 30 days at Access Road at DuPont Parkway, with the Refuse Collection Center. That facility is already accepting recyclables with a portable facility, as are two additional locations at John A. Patten Recreation Center, 3202 Kelly’s Ferry Rd., and East Brainerd Baseball Complex, at the end of Batter’s Place Road. All four will eventually be permanent facilities, but Chamberlain wouldn't speculate on a completion date. "Orange Grove Center operates them, but the City owns them and is handling construction."
City convenience center hours are Monday, Tuesday and Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.; closed Wednesday and Thursday; open Saturday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Sunday, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
In addition, Hamilton County operates collection facilities at East Ridge Recycling Center, 1001 Yale Street (behind East Ridge Hospital), Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Highway 58 Recycling Center, 5414 Hwy. 58 (corner of Hwy. 58 & Hickory Valley Rd), Monday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Middle Valley Recycling Center, 1600 Crabtree Road (Hixson), Monday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Red Bank Recycling Center, 4851-B Dayton Blvd. (Next to Fire hall #2), Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Standifer Gap Recycling Center, 7625 Standifer Gap Road, Tuesday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Sequoyah Recycling Center, 9525 Lovell Road (Soddy Daisy) Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
To participate in Recycle Express by Orange Grove Center call 493-2925. For additional information on City recycling programs and centers call 311. Information on Hamilton County recycling is available at 209-6480.
