Recycle Water Bottles After P'Tree Race

With over 55,000 runners, the Peachtree Road Race is the world’s largest 10K race. This translates into a great deal of recyclables—last year it was estimated that more than 65,000 bottles of water were used. 

Unfortunately, since many people carry these plastic recyclable bottles away from the event (where recycling bins are located), many are thrown away. Without strategically placed recycling bins at the nearby MARTA stations, there is little opportunity for diverting these materials from the landfill.

To solve this collection problem, Peachtree Road Race Staff, MARTA, Whitten Management and Atlanta Recycles have teamed up to provide temporary recycling bins at the Civic Center MARTA station during the event. We predict that a large amount of the materials thrown away at the MARTA stations during the morning of the Peachtree Road Race will be primarily recyclables.

This will be the first time (that we know of) that recycling will be available at the MARTA station at the Peachtree Road Race. Bryant Whitten of Whitten Management has donated the recycling services for the MARTA station. Atlanta Recycles has recruited volunteers from Georgia Conservancy, Environmental Protection Agency Region IV and Hands on Atlanta to assist with the recycling efforts. MARTA officials have been very helpful in integrating this new waste diversion plan.

Whitten Management Inc. will manage and implement the recycling program at the Peachtree Road Race. Atlanta Recycles has served as a liaison between key stakeholders: Peachtree Road Race staff, City of Atlanta (Special Events), MARTA, and Whitten Management to ensure that recycling efforts meets the needs of all parties. Furthermore, Atlanta Recycles has recruited and will manage volunteer recycling monitors for the event.

Atlanta Recycles is a coalition of governmental, corporate, and environmental entities with a shared mission to promote recycling and improve the collection infrastructure for recyclable materials.