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Joanne Maskew
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Cheryl Dunson
CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Plastics may be back on the local recycle menu later this year.
Bradley County Mayor D. Gary Davis told Keep America Beautiful supporters Friday that collecting plastic containers has not been cost efficient.
The next county budget may include funds for equipment to restart plastics recycling, Mr. Davis said at the 16th annual Solid Waste Breakfast sponsored by Santek Environmental Inc. and organized by Cleveland/Bradley Keep America Beautiful.
Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland said plastic was one reason why curbside recycling failed in the city. He called for a long-term city goal of bringing back curbside recycling collection.
Cheryl Dunson, vice president of marketing for Santek, was the keynote speaker. Santek manages 12 landfills for local governments in six states, she said.
Ms. Dunson said solid waste collection and disposal is one of America’s most unappreciated industries.
“No one wants to live near a landfill but they want their garbage removed on a daily basis,” she said. “No body wants a public convenience station located near them. But try to relocate it once it’s there and you have public mayhem on your hands.”
Joanne Maskew, executive director of Cleveland/Bradley Keep America Beautiful, announced activities for spring cleanup events through May.
Fundraising events, she said, help Keep America Beautiful pay for environmental education materials for school and other programs. Volunteers are always needed for these projects, she said.
SPRING CLEANING
Contact Keep America Beautiful at (423) 559-3307.
* March 15: Litter pickup at Northeast Recreation Center, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with refreshments and prizes for volunteers.
* April 5: Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bradley County Landfill.
* April 12: Spring Cleanup Flea Market and Yard Sale, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in downtown Cleveland. Booths are $25 with electricity, $20 without.
* May 3: Treasure ‘N Trash Cleanup, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Location to be announced.
* May 31: Pancake breakfast fundraiser at Applebee’s on Paul Huff Parkway, 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Tickets are $5.
Source: Cleveland/Bradley Keep America Beautiful
Randall Higgins covers news in Cleveland, Tenn., for the Times Free Press. He started work with the Chattanooga Times in 1977 and joined the staff of the Chattanooga Times Free Press when the Free Press and Times merged in 1999. Randall has covered Southeast Tennessee, Northwest Georgia and Alabama. He now covers Cleveland and Bradley County and the neighboring region. Randall is a Cleveland native. He has bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Technological University. His awards ...
