Decatur Recycling: Glass Must Be Separate Starting Next Week

DECATUR, GA -- The good news is that Decatur, after some consideration, is going to continue to recycle glass.

But, starting next Friday, city residents need to separate their glass out in a separate bin if they want it to be collected.

In a blog post, the city is reminding residents of a recent change to how Decatur recycling will work.

The bin for glass must be 18 gallons or smaller, but any type or color of bin is acceptable. Paper, plastics, and metal can still be mixed together and placed in a separate bin for collection.

Earlier this month, Decatur City Commission voted to increase sanitation fees, thus letting the city keep providing residential glass recycling.

After polling residents on a range of options, including discontinuing glass recycling entirely, the commission opted to increase the city's annual recycling fee from $250 to $275 to cover separate glass collection.

In a poll posted on the city's website, more than 90 percent of respondents said they'd like the city to keep providing residential glass recycling, even if it meant a fee increase.

Many recycling facilities will not longer accept glass mixed with other recyclable materials, saying it's difficult to handle and often contaminates other materials when it breaks.