Study: More Recycling Would Benefit Georgia’s Econ
Atlanta, GA, August 16--Digging through 60 tons of trash taught researchers a lesson - what's good for the garbage dump, they say, also is good for Georgia's economy.
Georgians throw out household recyclables worth $250 million annually and spend $90 million more just to dispose of the stuff, according to a study by the Department of Community Affairs.
Georgia industries could benefit from the cardboard, paper, plastic and aluminum cans that are filling up the state's landfills, says Randy Hartman, director of the office of environmental management.
"We don't think of recycling as being good for our economy but it is," said Hartman.
The state's paper industry, which employs 25,000 people and has a $1 billion annual payroll, uses all the paper it can get in Georgia and imports recycled paper from other states. Nine of Georgia's paper mills rely totally on recycled materials, Hartman said.
But Georgians are sending 734,000 tons of corrugated cardboard - worth $60 million at current prices - and 322 million tons of newsprint worth $25 million to landfills, the study found.
North Georgia carpet mills use one-third of all the recycled clear plastic bottles produced in the United States and Greene County is home to one of only three plants that recycle aluminum cans. Each year, Georgians throw out $76 million worth of plastic and $60 worth of aluminum cans, the study found.
The most widely thrown away item is food waste which could be readily composted, Hartman said.
To conduct the study, garbage sleuths sorted through 60 tons of household trash from across the state. The study was conducted during all four seasons, Hartman said, because what people throw away changes with the season.
Hartman said state officials hope the study will stir greater interest among local government officials in recycling programs.
"Hopefully with this knowledge governments will beef up recycling programs so they collect more and benefit Georgia's economy," he said.
