Georgia supports recycling with new license plate

In an effort to increase recycling awareness in Georgia, the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) are encouraging residents to order the new “Recycle 4 Georgia” license tag.

The “Recycle 4 Georgia” design was created as part of the state’s Recycling on the Go campaign which encourages residents to remember to recycle while away from home. It is the first step of a statewide education campaign that involves integrated marketing, regional recycling collection hubs and the use of consistent statewide data collection and measurement. The Curbside Value Partnership (CVP), a national invitation-only program designed to help communities grow their recycling programs through education, is working with the state of Georgia as it undergoes this effort.

The logo on the new license tag features a quirky spin on a tattoo theme where the “Recycle 4 Georgia” tattoo is seen in unexpected places.

Georgia has the second largest market for recyclables in the entire country – second only to California. Right now, the demand is so high for recyclable materials within the state that companies have to import recyclables from other states just to meet demand. The state conducted a waste characterization study to determine exactly what Georgians were throwing away. The study uncovered that 70 percent of what is currently going into Georgia landfills is recyclable. Under DCA’s leadership, efforts are underway to divert as much as possible of that 70 percent from disposal and put it right back into Georgia’s economy.

In order for the new license plate to be offered year-round, 1,000 orders are required by the end of the year.

The cost for the new tag is $25, $10 of which will go to the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation to support recycling and environmental education in the state.