The Sandy Springs Recycling Center is ending 24-hour drop-offs and will only take materials during regular business hours, effective Dec. 1.
For over 30 years, the center at 470 Morgan Falls Road has accepted after-hours drop-offs of materials in parking lot bins. But now, the center will be locked down after hours, including with new gates blocking access to the parking lot. The drop-off site will have extended hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Keep North Fulton Beautiful, the nonprofit that operates the recycling center, said in a press release that 24/7 drop-off has led to several problems: overnight theft, illegal dumping of non-recyclable items, and non-payment for dropping off materials that require a fee.
Security gates were among the recommendations of a “blue-ribbon panel of industry experts” the organization says it convened. It also surveyed customers about the best operating hours and developed a scheduled based on more than 600 responses.
The new hours are: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; closed Sundays and major holidays.
The gates will be locked at all other times.
The recycling center is open to residents of Sandy Springs and Johns Creek. For more information about the center and the materials it accepts, see its website here.