Recycling center to meet more demand

Columbia County residents will soon have another place to discard their recyclables when a new drop-off recycling center opens on Chamblin Road.

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The center, which will be located next to the site of the future Georgia State Patrol office, is expected to open in mid-September, said Barry Smith, director of the county's Community and Leisure Services Division.

"The demand is there, which was shown by the response when we put the bins behind the government complex," he said.

Plastic and newspaper bins will remain behind the Evans Government Complex, but aluminum cans and cardboard will no longer be accepted there, said Keep Columbia County Beautiful Coordinator Jenny Hinton.

Hinton said cardboard items are popular commodities for residents to recycle, and the bin behind the county's Government Complex on Ronald Reagan Drive often overflowed with cardboard.

There will be eight bins set up on concrete pads outside the center, where electronics, plastics, newspapers and magazines, aluminum cans, food cans, cardboard and office/notebook paper will be accepted, Hinton said.

Residents will drive up to the facility and be greeted by employees, who will provide assistance with unloading if needed.

"We will have somebody staffing it to make sure the facility runs properly and that no contamination will occur with household garbage and stuff like that," Smith said.

Work on the site started about two months ago, Smith said, adding that the bins, landscaping and signs at the facility are still needed.

Solid waste funds from the landfill that closed on Baker Place Road will pay for the project, which will cost about $152,000, he said.

"We still will have special recycling events held at the government complex, just like we've had in the past," Smith said. "We're just trying to provide another service to make Columbia County a nice place to live, work or visit."

A grand opening event will be held at the site when construction has been completed, Hinton said.

Hinton said the site of the new center is centrally located.

"This has been a long time coming, and I'm glad to see it's here," she said.