Habersham County is turning to recycling as one possible solution to its pressing landfill problems. The Clarkesville recycling center is now open Tuesday through Saturday, while Cornelia is open Monday through Saturday.
The move comes on the heels of a recent disturbing report that the Habersham County Landfill, which had been projected to last well into this century, may now be full within 17 years. With additional recycling days, county officials hope they can slow that expiration date.
“We’ve talked to our administration, and we’ve made the decision to open our recycling centers five to six days a week now instead of three days,” said Habersham County Solid Waste Director Johnnie Vickers.
“It’ll be a great opportunity for the citizens to have ample opportunity to come and recycle, whether it’s cardboard or paper or bottles or whatever the case might be. And it will be a lot more convenient for the citizens to do that, so we’re excited about doing that. We look forward to our recycling centers taking in more materials to save life in our landfill. That’s the whole object behind this,” Vickers added.
On Feb. 29, the county will stop accepting construction and demolition waste at the landfill as part of its effort to extend the landfill’s life cycle.
New hours of operation
The Cornelia/Habersham Recycling Center, at 507 Nicolon Drive, Cornelia, is now open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Clarkesville Recycling Center, at 4142 Toccoa Highway, Clarkesville, is now open Tuesday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
This allows Habersham County residents to have five more days to drop off recyclables at one of the centers.
Items accepted
Habersham County recycling centers accept the following items:
- Glass: clear, green, brown
- Aluminum cans
- No. 1 or No. 2 plastic bottles/jugs (look on the bottle or jug for the number inside the recycling triangle)
- Paper products such as newspapers, some types of computer paper, magazines, books, shredded paper
- Cardboard
What is not accepted at the recycling centers?
Metal and electronics are no longer accepted at the recycling centers. Electronics must be taken to the landfill. There is a $15 minimum charge, then prorated at $55 per ton for metal and electronics.
Mattresses and box springs are NOT accepted at the recycling centers. Please take those items to the landfill. There is a fee of $10 each.
“All we really take at the recycling centers is cardboard, any paper product – if you can tear it, that’s considered paper – then we take plastics, drink bottles, detergent jugs, and we take aluminum, and we take glass,” Vickers said.
“Glass is separated by color, and there are three bins for that. We do not take mattresses. We do not take electronics. And we do not take what we call ‘white goods’. Now, we do take the ‘white goods’ here at the landfill, but there’s a charge for that, to put those off, with the mattresses the same way,” Vickers reminded.
