GREENSBORO, N.C. — Greensboro now has a new location to drop-off glass for recycling after the City stopped accepting glass at curbside pickup on July 1. Those who do not follow the new rule will start receiving a notice in the mail in about a month.
The Field Operations Department decided to open a new glass drop-off location at Glenn McNairy Library because another glass recycling center was overflowing, Waste Reduction Supervisor Tori Carle told WFMY News 2 Friday.
Greensboro stopped accepting glass for recycling July 1 at curbside bin pickup because it became too expensive to process, it contaminates other recyclables by sticking to them, and glass is very heavy.
You should drop off your empty glass bottles and jars for recycling at any of the following locations:
- First Presbyterian Church - 108 W. Fisher Ave.
- Glenn McNairy Library - 4860 Lake Jeanette Rd.
- Fire Station 19 - 6900 Downwind Rd.
- Kathleen Clay Edwards Library - 1420 Price Park Dr.
- McGirt-Horton Library - 2501 Phillips Ave.
- Medford Service Center - 401 Patton Ave.
Although the new glass recycling policy has gone into effect, Greensboro's recycling center is still receiving curbside recycling with glass in it which creates problems, said Carle.
"We still are seeing glass in the recycling, and we are going to be amping up the education campaign in the next month or so," said Carle.
Recycling trucks in Greensboro have a camera pointed where the recycling bin is dumped into the truck as part of its #RecycleRightProgram.
If a recycling driver sees glass from your home's bin as it deposits into the truck, they will use a tablet mounted in the truck to make note of the violation.
Homes tagged for still placing the glass into recycling bins will then receive a notice in the mail explaining that glass is no longer accepted for curbside recycling pickup.
"We know it's going to take a long time to change that behavior, and we are not in the business of taking away peoples recycling carts," said Carle.
The notice will never contain a ticket, fine or fee, and is not considered a warning, but instead a "friendly reminder," said Carle.
Glass collected at the five city locations with the new program will be transported to Wilson, NC for processing into new glass beer bottles, Carle said.
"Glass bottles and jars should be empty, clean, and dry. Paper labels do not need to be removed. Lids, caps, and corks cannot be recycled with the glass and should be put in the trash," according to a news release.
