DULUTH — Gwinnett County’s annual Earth Day recycling event will take place at a new location this year, moving from Coolray Field to Gwinnett Place Mall ahead of the 2026 event.
Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful, in partnership with Gwinnett County Solid Waste Management, will host the event on Saturday, April 18, from 9 a.m. to noon in the former Macy’s parking lot at Gwinnett Place Mall.
The relocation follows Gwinnett County Government’s acquisition of approximately 87.5 acres at the mall site through the Urban Redevelopment Agency of Gwinnett County.
Organizers expect strong community participation and are seeking volunteers to assist with the event.
“We’re expecting thousands of cars that day, so we’ll need hundreds of volunteers on hand to ensure a smooth experience,” said Schelly Marlatt, executive director of Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful. “Volunteers will help unload vehicles and organize materials, ensuring items are properly recycled rather than sent to landfills.”
The annual event provides residents an opportunity to dispose of hard-to-recycle materials that are not typically accepted through curbside collection. In addition to recycling services, attendees can visit an exhibit area featuring community partners and activities such as touch-a-truck and face painting.
During last year’s event, volunteers helped divert more than 66 tons of recyclables and 9,700 gallons of paint from local landfills.
Items accepted at the April 18 event include paper for shredding (limited to five copier paper boxes per vehicle), electronics, paint and tires, with some fees applied for select electronic items. Paint is limited to 10 gallons per vehicle, and tires are limited to eight per vehicle without rims.
Participants are encouraged to bring recyclables in disposable containers, which will not be returned.
Those interested in volunteering can register at volunteergwinnett.net. Additional information about the event and programs offered by Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful is available at GwinnettCB.org.
Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful is a nonprofit organization and affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, focused on environmental stewardship and community improvement across Gwinnett County. The organization engages more than 100,000 volunteers annually in efforts to increase recycling, protect natural resources and maintain public spaces.
