Science

Marietta Joins Growing List Of Cities Placing Glass In Trash

May 10th, 2016

psyberartist (cropped) / flickr.com/psyberartist

Starting in June, Marietta will join the growing list of area cities and counties that aren’t recycling glass.

The city of Marietta is entering a new contract with its vendor WestRock, which no longer accepts glass as part of recycling.

It operates in many parts of Cobb County and was the only trash and recycling vendor that applied to collect the city’s trash.

City of Marietta spokesperson Lindsey Wiles said companies have said they are not able to make a profit recycling glass and it contaminates other recyclable materials.

“The main problem is, there’s really no longer a market for this mixed-glass within a single stream,” Wiles said. “If you were to put all of your recycling in your recycling box like most of us do now, when the glass gets mixed up with the plastic and the cardboard and everything else, that crushed glass actually damages their conveyer belts.”

Wiles said the new recycling program will cost the city $100,000. She said the money will come out of the General Fund and not be passed along to consumers.

Recycling fees for most residents are currently about $22.75 per month and will stay the same.

“In the past, the city would get paid to recycle [per ton], and now we have to pay to recycle,” Wiles said.

Wiles said WestRock will also charge the city a fee each time every time residents make mistakes. That’s because if glass is found in a recycling truck at the recycling facility, an additional truck will be needed to be sent to the landfill.