Georgia County Nixes Recycling Center

Commissioners of DeKalb County, Ga., rejected a proposal to convert a vacant building in Doraville into a recycling center.

A zoning change to industrial use and a special land-use permit were needed from commissioners in order to recycle materials inside the building.

Barry G. Roberts, manager of Environmental Shared Savings, the company that wanted to operate on the site, said the center would be used to recycle cardboard and other paper materials.

Roberts said the center would collect other materials that were not paper, but he said those materials would be shipped out of the county immediately.

"We are not asking this commission for a landfill," said Roberts, referring to previous complaints from south DeKalb residents about foul odors and possible health risks from the eight landfills in that part of the county. "What we're asking is to allow us to put in an environmentally sound facility."

Commissioners were not convinced. Several said they shared residents' concerns about rotten smells and rodents coming from the center.