Eco-Focused Nonprofit Reports Spectacular Statistics from Two Recent Recycling and Cleanup Events
With a jam-packed roster of programs and events that run the gamut from Adopt-A-Road to Household Hazardous Waste Collection Days, after 44 years since its launch, Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful (GC&B) practically runs like a well-oiled machine. At the same time, the eco-focused nonprofit continues to innovate, consistently seeking improvement from one event – and year – to the next. That commitment to advancement was most recently exemplified in two annual springtime events – the Earth Day Recycling Event and Great Gwinnett Wetlands 2024.
Hosted at Coolray Field on April 27, GC&B’s annual Earth Day Recycling Event engaged an unprecedented number of neighbors who arrived in 1,818 vehicles. In a matter of three hours, a little over 120 volunteers collected 2.25 tons of textiles, 10,162 gallons of paint, 12 tons of tires, 18 tons of paper, 3 tons of cardboard, and 24 tons of electronics. Combined, that’s more than 72 tons diverted from local landfills, roughly seven times the weight of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. In addition, for the first time during the annual event, the Gwinnett County Police Department collected eight yard waste-sized bags of expired or unwanted prescription and OTC medications. That’s a large portion of the 575 pounds of medications collected throughout the county as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Initiative. Given the response, Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful hopes to make this an annual offering to county residents during future Earth Day events.
Marking the 10th year since its launch, Great Gwinnett Wetlands proved another resounding success for Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful during its observation on May 4. A cleanup event historically involving one wetland site was expanded to three for the first time – including Sweetwater Creek at Omega Drive, Bethesda Park, and Beaver Ruin Wetlands. Over the course of four hours, 78 volunteers fanned out over the three locations. At two sites, they collected a combined 3,255 pounds of litter, including tires, car parts, pallets, and even toy cars. At the third site, volunteers removed a quarter acre of privet – invasive plants that choke the health of the wetland.
“We don’t do this alone – thank goodness,” said Schelly Marlatt, Executive Director for Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful. “We are genuinely blessed to share these successes with a solid network of Gwinnett County Government Departments. We couldn’t do all that we do without the partnerships fostered with the dedicated team members at the Department of Water Resources, Solid Waste Management, Parks & Recreation, Communications, Police, and Fire – just to name a few. In turn, Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful and all our county partners owe many of these successes to the incredible volunteers who show up and show out despite rainy skies or blazing temperatures, and we are so grateful. The way this community comes together is a testament to how amazing Gwinnett County truly is.”
The next event on Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful’s calendar is the second Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day of 2024. It will be hosted at Gwinnett County Fairgrounds on July 20 from 8-11 a.m. During the three-hour event, GC&B and its partners at Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources will collect a variety of household hazardous waste that can’t be disposed of or recycled curbside and range from auto batteries to weed killers. In addition to attendees, the event will require volunteers to ensure its success. To learn what items will be collected or register as a volunteer, interested parties are encouraged to visit https://gwinnettcb.org/events/household-hazardous-waste-collection-day/.
Volunteers are also needed year-round to tackle programs like Adopt-A-Road, Adopt-A-Stream, and Great American Cleanup. To learn more about Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful, its programs, and future events, please visit www.GwinnettCB.org.
