For More Information: Jim Davis, Public Relations City of Gatlinburg…

For More Information:
Jim Davis, Public Relations
City of Gatlinburg
jimd@ci.gatlinburg.tn.us
865/436-0509



        Gatlinburg Installs New Recycling Containers
        GATLINBURG ­ City residents now have an attractive option when disposing of
plastic bottles, aluminum cans and cardboard: make a deposit for the sake of the
environment.
        Large recycling containers with separate compartments for plastic, aluminum and
cardboard have been installed at two locations in the City, and already citizens are
responding by making deposits.
        One three-way bin is located beside the City's greenhouse near the Community
Center off Proffitt Road and another is located at the City's Service Center on Newman
Road. Each compartment holds 10 cubic yards of material. The bins are emptied as
needed.
        "As stewards of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the residents and
business community of Gatlinburg are aware of the responsibility to be environmentally
conscious about every aspect of life," said City Manager Cindy Cameron Ogle. "These
recycling bins are another commitment to protecting our community."
        Gatlinburg residents now have the opportunity to recycle plastic and aluminum.
The City established plastic bins last May and has accumulated several tons of plastics
which was taken to Sevier Solid Waste Inc. (SSWI) to be recycled.
        City Vice Mayor Mike Werner, who helped initiate the plastic recycling effort that
began last May with two much-smaller recycling bins, is pleased with the response of
residents and the addition of plastic and aluminum recycling.
        "I'm thrilled to have the new bins," he said. "The enthusiasm for `going green' by
recycling is growing, and there is no reason why anyone should choose not to
participate. Every piece of material that is recycled helps our environment."
        The recycling efforts help ease the flow of refuse to SSWI, which operated Sevier
County's composting facility at a high rate of efficiency until it burned last Memorial Day.
        Before the fire, the facility was converting 60 percent of the matter it received into
usable compost. Plastic bags and bottles accounted for approximately 90 percent of the

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remaining 40 percent of refuse. All of that plastic, plus the 10 percent of metal and glass
which can not be turned into compost, was buried in the county's construction and
demolition landfill.
        "When the composting plant was up and running, we took in about 300 tons of
refuse a day," said Tom Leonard, manager of SSWI, where all of Sevier County's trash
ends up. "After we composted all we could, we hauled 125 to 150 tons of plastic, glass
and metal to the construction and demolition landfill every day.
        Now, all garbage, construction and demolition material as well as sludge is going
into a landfill.
        Leonard said SSWI can sell recycled plastic for 24 cents per pound, and
aluminum is worth 87 cents per pound, another incentive in addition to helping the
environment.
        Very bright days are ahead for SSWI as well. Construction began February 25 on
rebuilding the composting facility on Ridge Road in Sevierville, with the bid process
complete for electrical and equipment services and one of two building contracts. The
final piece of the bid puzzle should be complete in several weeks, with a target date of
November for completion of the new facility.
        The new composting plant, which should be completed by late fall, will feature a
stream-lined, cost-efficient process which will allow the digesters to run almost
constantly, reducing down time significantly and eliminating the deposit of any material
in a Class I landfill. Leonard said means of converting the material (mostly plastics) the
digesters can not compost into fuel are also being explored, which would eliminate
almost all deposits in the county's construction and demolition landfill.
        "The new composting facility will be one of the finest in the world, a model of
efficiency and cost effective as well," said Ogle.
        In the meantime, Leonard said any amount of recycling helps ease the stress on
SSWI, keeping recyclable refuse out of landfills.
        "Since last May, we've recovered 12 bales of plastic material through recycling
efforts in the county," he said. "That's 24,000 pounds of plastic material that didn't go
into the landfill, and we've also recovered 700,000 pounds of cardboard. Since we
already had a baler for cardboard, it's not a lot more work on us, so I think it's definitely
worth the effort if people will participate in recycling."
        Gatlinburg also has receptacles for newspaper recycling set up at the City
Complex Public Parking Lot on Hwy. 321 and at the City's Service Center on Newman
Road.

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