The City of Atlanta has begun distributing larger recycling carts as part its sustainability plan, Power to Change, which has a long-term goal of achieving 90% diversion of waste from landfills by 2020.

The new 96-gallon recycling carts will replace residents’ current 18-gallon recycling bins, allowing for more recyclables to be collected. The City of Atlanta’s recycling program is managed by the Department of Public Works and serves 95,000 households. About 30,000 residents already have carts.

Currently, city of Atlanta residents generate about 96,000 tons of trash annually, which costs the city $7 million a year to dispose of in landfills. City of Atlanta residents recycle only 12,000 tons annually, which leaves significant room for improvement. In addition to the environmental benefits, diverting recyclables from landfills produces revenue for the City at a rate of $30 per ton.

For more information about the city’s residential recycling program, please visit www.cartlanta.org or call (404) 330-6333.

Collin Kelley

Collin Kelley has been the editor of Atlanta Intown for two decades and has been a journalist and freelance writer for 35 years. He’s also an award-winning poet and novelist.