As it prepares for one of its most popular annual events, Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful (GC&B) has issued a call for volunteers. Hosted at Coolray Field from 9 a.m. to noon, the April 27 recycling event will represent Gwinnett County’s celebration of Earth Day in a very tangible and meaningful way. Volunteers will help direct traffic and transfer recyclable items from hundreds of attendees’ cars to corresponding stations for processing. Items that can’t be collected via curbside recycling – like paint, tires, electronics, clothing, and sneakers – will be accepted during the event. Paper will also be accepted for secure shredding. Enhancing the event for the first time, the Gwinnett County Police Department will be on hand to collect expired and unwanted medications for proper disposal from Gwinnett County residents as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Initiative.

“Celebrated nationally on April 22 each year, Earth Day was first established in 1970 to raise awareness about the need to protect the planet’s precious natural resources for generations to come,” said Schelly Marlatt, Executive Director for Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful. “Recycling is a wonderful way to do just that as it reduces the need to extract resources such as timber, water, and minerals to make new products. It also diverts waste away from landfills. We need as many volunteers as possible to help us process cars quickly and get our neighbors on their way so they can enjoy the rest of their Saturday, knowing they did something good for the planet and our community. Last year, 115 volunteers put in a combined 575 hours to help us collect 3,200 pounds of textiles, 6,082 gallons of latex/oil-based paint, nine tons of tires, 19 tons of paper, and 19 tons of electronics from 1,504 vehicles. That’s roughly 137 cars per volunteer. We hope to serve even more neighbors at our Earth Day Recycling Event, so we’ll need more volunteers to ensure a smooth experience for our attendees.”

Volunteers must be 16 or older. To register, individuals and groups should visit https://cerv.is/0024×4536. They are asked to arrive no later than 7:30 a.m. on the day of the event – with a signed waiver – to receive their assignment. As for neighbors planning to attend the Gwinnett County Earth Day Recycling Event, Coolray Field is located at 2500 Buford Drive in Lawrenceville. Items accepted during the event include: 

• Electronics - $35 cash fee per projection or console TV, $15 cash fee per computer monitor or TV, and $5 cash fee per printer

• Tires without rims – Limit eight; no dealer tires

• Paint – both latex and oil-based – Limit 10 gallons per vehicle; cans must contain 25% wet paint or more

• Clothing and sneakers

• Paper for shredding – Limit five copier boxes

• Prescription medications can be dropped off directly to representatives of the Gwinnett County Police Department in the exhibit area at their event table 

Attendees are asked to place their items to be recycled in disposable boxes or containers, as they will not be returned once removed from vehicles. The Earth Day Recycling Event will also include face painting and touch-a-truck activities for kids, a chance for Gwinnett County neighbors to meet their haulers and local law enforcement, and refreshments. Questions about the event can be directed to the Solid Waste Call Center at 770.822.7141.

To learn more about Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful and its upcoming events, please visit www.GwinnettCB.org.