Maya Ellison
As of 2020, Sullivan County, Tennessee, no longer accepts plastic at its convenience centers or transfer stations. This change has left residents, companies, and municipalities in the county and the wider East Tennessee area searching for alternative solutions to recycle their plastic waste. Despite the county's efforts to help, such as collecting cardboard and paper at designated locations, the nearest company that accepts plastic recyclables is in Knoxville, which is too far to ship to. This situation highlights the challenges faced by communities in maintaining effective recycling operations and finding suitable recycling centers.
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What You'll Learn
Sullivan County no longer accepting plastic for recycling
Sullivan County, Tennessee, has stopped accepting plastic for recycling at its convenience centers and transfer stations. This change is due to "current recycling fluctuations", according to a news release from the Solid Waste Department. The county is facing the same issue as many other places across the nation, with China no longer accepting two dozen types of recyclables unless they meet strict rules regarding contamination.
The recent closure of Tri-City Waste Paper (TCWP) has also impacted Sullivan County's ability to recycle plastic. TCWP stopped receiving recyclable materials in February 2020 and officially closed in March of that year. As a result, the county removed plastic recycling dumpsters from its drop-off sites.
Sullivan County is working to find a solution to resume plastic recycling as soon as possible. However, the next closest company that could take recyclables is in Knoxville, which is cost-prohibitive for the county.
Despite these challenges, the county remains committed to recycling other materials. Glass, paper, cardboard, aluminum, and metal will continue to be recycled at convenience centers and transfer stations located across the county. Electronics can also be recycled at the county's two transfer stations: 804 Raytheon Road in Bristol and 1921 Brookside Drive in Kingsport.
The county encourages residents to separate recyclables by specific materials and keep them clean and dry to reduce the risk of contamination, which can lead to materials becoming unsuitable for reuse.
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Curbside recycling vs. convenience center drop-off locations
As of July 2020, Sullivan County, Tennessee, no longer accepts plastic at its convenience centers or transfer stations. The county's solid waste department is working on a solution to begin taking plastic recyclables, but no concrete plans are in place. Despite this, the county continues to recycle glass, paper, cardboard, aluminum, and metal at its convenience centers and transfer stations.
Previously, Kingsport, the county seat of Sullivan County, provided curbside pickup for recyclables such as paper, plastic, and aluminum cans, collecting over 3,200 tons of material annually. However, due to the collapse of the market for recyclable materials, Kingsport shifted from curbside recycling to convenience center drop-off locations in 2020. This change aimed to create and maintain effective and efficient operations while saving the city more than $850,000 annually.
The new convenience center in Kingsport accepts cardboard, mixed paper, aluminum, and tin during its operating hours. This shift to convenience centers also addresses the issue of recycling contamination, which occurs when materials are not properly cleaned or sorted correctly. When recyclables are placed into one cart in a "mixed" state for curbside collection, there is a higher chance of contamination, leading to items becoming unsuitable for reuse. By using convenience centers, residents can separate recyclables into specific material streams, significantly reducing the risk of contamination and decreasing the amount of material sent to landfills.
While curbside recycling offers the convenience of having recyclables collected directly from homes, it may increase the risk of contamination if materials are not properly sorted and cleaned. On the other hand, convenience center drop-off locations require residents to transport their recyclables to designated centers, ensuring better separation and reducing contamination. However, this option may be less accessible for those without reliable transportation or those who find it challenging to travel to the centers during their operating hours. Therefore, when considering curbside recycling versus convenience center drop-off locations, it is essential to balance efficiency, contamination risks, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness to determine the most suitable approach for a particular community.
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Recycling contamination and how to avoid it
In Sullivan County, TN, the convenience centers will accept cardboard, mixed paper, aluminum, and tin for recycling. Glass, paper, cardboard, aluminum, and metal are also accepted at the county's transfer stations. However, the county no longer accepts plastic at these centers or stations.
Now, recycling contamination occurs when materials are not properly cleaned or are incorrectly sorted. When collecting recyclable materials and sorting them into bins, anything other than that specific material—even other recyclable materials—can be considered a contaminant. For example, recycling contamination can occur when a glass bottle is placed in a mixed paper recycling bin, or when food residue remains on a plastic container.
To avoid recycling contamination, it is important to separate recyclables by specific material and to ensure that all items are clean and dry before placing them in the correct recycling bin. For instance, rinse and dry bottles and containers to remove food or drink residue. While pizza boxes are made from cardboard, the oil from the pizza often seeps into the material and cannot be separated during the pulping process, so it is best to send greasy pizza boxes to landfill instead of recycling. Similarly, while shredded paper is not a contaminant, loose shredded paper can cause issues for recycling facilities, so keep it in a clear plastic bag to be recycled with your other recyclables.
Other items that can contaminate an entire load of recyclables and force it to be sent to landfill include plastic bags, which can clog up equipment; cords, which can wrap around machinery and damage it; and "tanglers" such as wires, clothing, and string lights, which can damage equipment and require the process to be stopped until they are removed. Hazardous waste such as batteries, medical waste, and electronics, which contain lead, cadmium, and mercury, can also be dangerous to human health and the environment when improperly disposed of, so most areas have local drop-off programs to help recycle these devices.
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Public Works Departments and their role in recycling
Public Works Departments play a crucial role in establishing and maintaining the infrastructure necessary for successful recycling programs. They are responsible for implementing policies that shape recycling habits and influence behaviour change among citizens. This involves creating convenient systems for collecting recyclables and educating the public on proper recycling practices.
In Sullivan County, TN, the Public Works Department has made the decision to transition from curbside recycling to convenience centre drop-off locations. This shift aims to streamline operations and reduce costs, ensuring that the recycling program remains efficient and cost-effective. The new convenience centre accepts cardboard, mixed paper, aluminium, and tin, with designated employees manning the centre during operating hours to ensure proper recycling practices.
The role of Public Works Departments in recycling extends beyond just the collection of materials. They are also responsible for ensuring the proper processing and repurposing of recyclables into new products. This process diverts waste from landfills and incinerators, reducing pollution and conserving natural resources. Additionally, recycling saves energy, as recycling ten plastic bottles provides enough energy to power a laptop for over 25 hours.
Furthermore, Public Works Departments play a crucial role in enforcing recycling policies and regulations. This includes imposing penalties for non-compliance and providing incentives or rewards for active participation. Well-documented and consistently enforced policies, supported by educational campaigns, have proven to be more successful in encouraging recycling habits among citizens.
Public Works Departments also face challenges and controversies in their efforts to promote recycling. They must balance the need for regulation with individual freedoms and consider socioeconomic factors that influence recycling behaviour. Additionally, with the market for recyclable materials facing fluctuations, Public Works Departments must make strategic decisions to ensure the cost-effectiveness and sustainability of their recycling programs.
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The cost of recycling in Kingsport, TN
Previously, Kingsport had a curbside recycling collection, which was paused in 2020 due to the degraded market for recyclable materials. The city then shifted to convenience center drop-off locations, which are now located across 46.94 square miles, serving 44,905 people and 20,125 households. This change is expected to save Kingsport more than $850,000 annually.
The new system requires residents to separate recyclables into specific materials, such as cardboard, mixed paper, aluminum, tin, and glass, before dropping them off at convenience centers. This separation helps reduce contamination, which occurs when materials are not properly cleaned or sorted correctly.
Private, local providers also offer curbside collection of recyclable materials, and residents can use services like Recyclops, which provides bags for recycling and picks them up from residents' curbs. However, the cost of these private services is not readily available.
While the shift to convenience centers has helped Kingsport save money, it is unclear what the total cost of recycling is for the city, as there may be other expenses associated with the program, such as personnel, transportation, and processing. Nonetheless, the changes made to the recycling program in Kingsport, TN, aim to balance cost-effectiveness with environmental responsibility.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Sullivan County does not accept plastic for recycling at its convenience centers or transfer stations.
The county is working on a solution to begin taking plastic recyclables but currently has no concrete plans in place. The next closest company that could take plastic recyclables is located in Knoxville, but it is cost-prohibitive for the county to ship its materials there.
Sullivan County accepts glass, paper, cardboard, aluminum, and metal at convenience centers located countywide and transfer stations. Electronics can be recycled at either transfer station located at 804 Raytheon Road, Bristol or 1921 Brookside Drive, Kingsport.
