Atlanta to Expand Curbside Recycling Program

Atlanta is expanding its curbside recycling program with bigger carts, as a key part of its goal of achieving 90-percent waste diversion by 2020.

The city said in a news release that it will begin delivering 96-gallon recycling carts to 66,000 households beginning Oct. 15. The bigger carts replace the current 18-gallon carts given to residents. About 30,000 residents already have the larger carts.

Currently Atlanta recycles about 12,000 tons of the 96,000 tons of waste residents generate annually. The city spends $7 million a year to landfill the material. Atlanta officials estimate that diverting recyclables from landfills will generate $30 per ton in revenue for the city.

“One of my goals as mayor is to see Atlanta become a top tier city for sustainability,” Mayor Kasim Reed said. “Recycling is an important step towards that goal, as we make Atlanta a greener place to live, work and play. Rolling out these new large capacity recycling carts will make it easier for residents to recycle more.”