Solid Waste Services (SWS) announced $25,000 donation from Waste Management to Walter G. Byers, a Project L.I.F.T school on August 31. The donation funds an initiative that enables students to learn more about recycling and proper waste management. The company is excited about increasing recycling tonnage in a traditionally low recycling area and the initiative's ability to create a new generation of recyclers.  

Waste Management began collecting curbside recyclables for Charlotte residents on August 31.

Byers’ science students who will receive recycling curriculum and recycling facility tours joined City, school and Waste Management officials for the announcement. Here’s what was said:  

Anthony Calloway, Walter G. Byers School principal

“This partnership is much more than bins and receptacles. This is about our school, our community, our state and our country because through this partnership we are looking to prepare our students as leaders. We want them to be responsible for changing our community and our world. One of these bright scholars sitting here will use the science they learn, not only in the classroom, but seeing it in action. By being able to see it now they can believe they can do something to change it.” 
 

District 2 City Councilman Alvin Austin

“Protecting our resources and promoting conservation enhances everyone’s life in our City. This gift will help us reach our goal of zero waste by 2050 and teach our children how important our environment is to our future.”
  

Stan Joseph, community and municipal relations manager

“Can you imagine what it would be like if every day instead of washing our clothes and putting them back on in a couple of days we threw them away and bought new clothes? That would be a waste. That’s what recycling is all about. It’s about taking things that you can reuse and instead of putting it somewhere and wasting it, we clean it and put it back on, saving resources.”

District 2 School Board Member and daughter of Walter. G Byers, Thelma Byers-Bailey

“My father was an advocate for the environment. He used to turn our entire backyard into a vegetable garden. He built a brick compost bin in our backyard. He would recycle and compost. It was very important to him. He would be very excited that you are getting involved with recycling. He would be excited about the things you will be learning. Congratulations, you will learn a lot and it will be a lot of fun.

Autumn begins September 23 and you may start to see an increase in your yard waste. Remember, Solid Waste Services collects leaves and other yard waste on the same day as your garbage and recycling collection. Please use the following tips to properly prepare yard waste for collection:

• Place leaves in untied plastic bags or uncovered trash cans 
• Cut limbs, logs and brush to no more than five feet in length and four inches in diameter
• Piles should be separated and sorted by type of yard waste (limbs, loose debris, bagged/container or logs). Separate into piles that are no longer than five feet and no higher than three feet. There should be at least two feet between piles.

For more information on how to properly prepare yard waste for collection, click here.

We all know the importance of recycling and the benefits it can have on our environment and now we can add more items to the list- caps, tops and lids. Caps, tops and lids can now stayon! Please remember:

·        Caps, tops and lids must remain on the container.

·        The containers should be dry and free of liquid/food residue.