Alleghany County has resumed its drop-off recycling program located at the Alleghany County transfer station at 431 Osborne Road in Sparta.
With this newly relaunched and enhanced recycling program, sorting items accepted for recycling is no longer necessary; instead, residents will be able to place recyclable items directly into the recycling compactor, which will compress the items prior to being transported to a nearby recycling facility to be sorted and transformed to new products and packaging.
Alleghany County received a Community Waste Reduction and Recycling Grant from the Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service at the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) to support this investment in recycling. NC DEQ provides these grants to help local governments build capacity to divert materials from disposal. Alleghany County’s grant is unique because it also includes indirect support from The Recycling Partnership, a national nonprofit organization that is partnering with the state. The state grant helped pay for the recycling compactor, roll-off receivers, and site installation.
The Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service has a mission to protect and improve North Carolina’s environment and economy by promoting recycling and sustainable materials management.
“This grant to Alleghany County aligns with the state’s goal of making recycling accessible and convenient to more North Carolinians. We expect the County’s program to generate more than 1 million pounds of recyclables each year to support North Carolina’s economy,” said Wendy Worley, NC DEQ’s Recycling and Materials Management Section Chief.
“The Recycling Partnership is thrilled to be partnering with NC DEQ to help support recycling in North Carolina,” said Keysha Burton, Community Programs Manager at The Recycling Partnership. “Alleghany County residents will be able to redirect valuable recyclables away from disposal and into the supply chain to be made into new products and packaging, supporting American manufacturing while conserving valuable resources.”
The County asks that residents do their part by placing only the following acceptable recyclable materials into the recycling compactor: aluminum and steel cans, food and beverage cartons, paper and paperboard, and empty plastic bottles, tubs, jugs, and jars.
To help limit trash in the recycling, only recycle acceptable items empty and dry. Some items that cannot be recycled in the compactor include plastic bags, paper towels, electrical equipment, batteries, and clothing.
Cardboard boxes are collected separately from the rest of the recycling at the transfer station and should be broken down before being recycled. Glass bottles and jars are not accepted in the recycling program at this time.