Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) Celebrates 5 Years

Ten years ago, Live Thrive Atlanta started as a neighborhood grassroots organization. Now, the nonprofit has become a zero-waste solution for metro-Atlanta residents, universities and corporations. One of Live Thrive’s major initiatives was launching CHaRM, the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials, which it did in 2015. And that means CHaRM is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year.

Since opening as the city’s first permanent facility for recycling materials too bulky or harmful for the curb, CHaRM has diverted more than 540 million pounds of harmful materials from landfills and the water system. The facility and its pop-up events have welcomed more than 100,000 eco-minded visitors to fundamentally change the landscape of recycling and sustainability for the city.

Live Thrive Atlanta and CHaRM are in good “green” company with their 2020 milestones, as Earth Day marks its 50th year this month.

In honor of these exciting, concurrent anniversaries, CHaRM is hosting a Kid’s T-Shirt Design Contest, asking children to submit their best designs to commemorate the 50th Earth Day. Designs must be submitted by April 30, and one elementary and one middle school winner will be chosen. Winners will receive 10 printed T-shirts, and the CHaRM staff will wear the designs this year. Information is available here: http://www.livethrive.org/kids-recycle-day/.

Live Thrive Atlanta’s CHaRM has become a vital part of the local community, and the permanent facility was bolstered last year with the addition of monthly pop-up recycling events taking place in Buckhead and Chamblee-Brookhaven. CHaRM has also hosted corporate recycling events for Delta Air Lines, Chick-fil-A and Cox Enterprises.

Since opening in 2015, CHaRM has seen its attendance grow at least 25% annually, as visitors skyrocketed from 5,000 during the first year to an expected 100,000+ in 2020. Last year, 94% of the materials collected at CHaRM were recycled, reused or re-engineered.

Through onsite collections and pop-up events in 2019, Live Thrive Atlanta’s CHaRM collected:

· 640,000 pounds of paint and chemicals that were converted into hundreds of gallons of mixed fuels,

· 56,000 pounds of plastic film that was converted into building materials,

· 7,500 mattresses that were either recycled or refurbished and shared with families in need,

· 460 bikes that were refurbished and given to families in need and

· 318 musical instruments that were refurbished and shared with children.

“We are thrilled with the overwhelming results we’ve seen at CHaRM and during our off-site events and look forward to driving individuals and companies toward zero-waste living,” said Peggy Whitlow-Ratcliffe, executive director and founder of Live Thrive Atlanta. “We knew there was a need for a permanent location for people to bring the items they just didn’t know what to do with. And five years later, we couldn’t be happier with the response from the community, volunteers and our supporters.”

While many people have a way to recycle household items like plastic bottles or cardboard boxes, when it comes to products like paint, tires, electronics, or mattresses, people are at a loss. Some home recycling programs no longer take glass, and who knows what to do with all of that Styrofoam? Well, CHaRM does.

In addition to recycling thousands of pounds of products per day, Live Thrive Atlanta’s CHaRM raises awareness in the community and offers eco-friendly educational experiences for children and corporations. Live Thrive also offers an educational video library, and the organization works with groups like local scout troops to train the next generation to care for the environment.

Note: Due to COVID-19, the CHaRM permanent facility is temporary closed until further notice, but the Live Thrive Atlanta is accepting donations to continue its programs and support its staff. Donations can be made at http://www.livethrive.org/.

Coming up: CHaRM’s annual fundraiser A CHaRM’ing Adventure takes place on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020. Details coming soon!

About Live Thrive Atlanta

Live Thrive Atlanta is a 501 (c) 3 that empowers people, organizations, universities, communities and businesses to make positive, healthy and sustainable changes to the environment. Through partnerships and community events. Since inception, Live Thrive Atlanta and CHaRM have been recognized by Keep Georgia Beautiful, Southface, the Atlanta Metro Chamber, Georgia Recycling Coalitions, Georgia Natural Gas, Atlanta Business Chronicle and Fulton County Citizens Commission, to name a few. www.livethrive.org

About CHaRM

Atlanta’s first permanent facility for the recycling of materials too harmful or bulky to place at the curb, Live Thrive Atlanta’s CHaRM – the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials – encourages reuse while diverting thousands of tons of household hazardous waste, bulky materials and other hard to recycle items from local homes, water supplies and landfills. To date, CHaRM has kept more than 272,000 tons of paints, chemicals, electronics, glass, tires, and more from metro-Atlanta’s water system and landfills. CHaRM is located at 1110 Hill Street, Atlanta, Georgia 30315.

CHaRM is temporary closed due to COVID-19, but the Live Thrive Atlanta is accepting donations to continue its programs and support its staff. Donations can be made at http://www.livethrive.org/.

Hours: Tuesday & Thursday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

http://livethrive.org/charm, 404-600-6386

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