Neighborhood Clean Up Program Being Launched in Gwinnett

Robertson, Allied Pledge to Pick Up Litter, Pace of Recycling

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga., Jan. 14, 2009 - Robertson Sanitation and Allied Waste will help the county reach its solid waste goals using free-enterprise solutions. The companies, which service almost 90,000 homes in unincorporated Gwinnett County, have pledged to address the county commission’s three main waste issues:

1. LITTER/DUMPING - Robertson and Allied will fund, organize and maintain an effort to identify and clean up areas where illegal dumping has occurred.

2. RECYCLING - Robertson and Allied pledge to be recycling 25% of residential solid waste by the end of 2010, making Gwinnett a recycling leader in Georgia. They will use a recycling rewards program to accomplish this goal.

3. TRAFFIC - Robertson and Allied are now offering special homeowners association pricing programs and incentives to neighborhoods that contract exclusively with Robertson/Allied. This reduces truck traffic in neighborhoods and on surrounding streets, while still allowing the homeowners to choose their service provider. The merger of the two companies also allows re-routing of trucks for maximum efficiency.

“We understand that the current free-enterprise system has issues, but we don't believe it’s broken,” said Jack Perko, area president for Robertson and Allied. “When the judge ruled that the county's plan was illegal, we decided that it was time to stop talking to the commissioners about open competition and start showing them how it could resolve many of the problems they face. Gwinnett is already one of the best places to live in Georgia. We encourage our competitors to follow our lead and help us make it one of the greenest, as well.”

HOA PROGRAM

Robertson/Allied's HOA pricing programs are already in place. They include rate reductions, along with a variety of service levels and incentives that allow neighborhoods to customize their collection service.

NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS

A neighborhood clean up program could begin as soon as logistics are worked out and the necessary equipment can be purchased. This will help clean up dumping sites and discourage illegal dumping activity.

In addition to this effort, the company will implement its neighborhood “On the Watch” program, a safety program where Robertson/Allied drivers are trained to watch for anything that may be unusual along their daily routes. Suspicious activity is reported to authorities, helping to keep the community safe.

RECYCLING REWARDS

The recycling rewards program involves an investment of several million dollars in new equipment, literature and manpower. Robertson and Allied can’t make an investment of this size until legal matters are resolved and they feel certain they will be allowed to serve their neighbors in Gwinnett County for years to come.

“This recycling program, RecycleBank, is a rewards program that we negotiated exclusive rights to back in the spring,” said Perko. “It has been very successful in every community that uses it. Just as important, there is opportunity for local businesses to get involved and benefit from it. Recycle Bank is something we had always hoped to roll out in Gwinnett County. We hope Gwinnett residents will have the opportunity to benefit from it and these other services that we are developing.”

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