CLICK HERE TO VIEW EVENT PHOTOS

Leslie County now has a recycling center, located in the former Kentucky Truss building, beside the 911 Center on Rockhouse.

There residents can drop off cardboard, paper, aluminum cans, steel cans, and #1 and #2 plastics, all for free.

Judge-Executive Jimmy Sizemore and Solid Waste Coordinator Angie Muncy hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 22 at the new recycling center. Students from the Stinnett Elementary School PRIDE Club participated, as did Mark Davis of PRIDE, the region’s environmental cleanup and education organization.

“Developing a recycling program takes community support and time, so we invite you to start using this new facility now and to work with us as we build up our services over time,” Muncy said. “Watch for announcements about our operating hours and other details, or just call us any time at 672-4103.”

“I hope people use the center because it’s the right thing to do for our young people, that’s the bottom line,” Muncy added. “This gives us the chance to take care of the environment for their future. I encourage everyone to think about them when you decide whether to throw your pop can in the trash can or the recycle bin.”

“More and more people want to do the right thing for our economy and environment by recycling, so we are excited to see Leslie County make this service so convenient for its residents,” Davis said.

“For our economy, recycling creates jobs and provides a domestic supply of inputs for manufacturers,” Davis explained. “On the ‘green’ side, making products with recycled materials requires less energy than using raw materials, and it conserves natural resources.”

“Students are learning all of this in school, and they want to do the right thing,” Davis added. “We’re seeing that across this region. It’s the young people who are setting the example, and their families then get involved.”

Leslie County Schools already are gearing up to recycle, which is both a learning activity and a cost-saving strategy. The Leslie County Conservation District has ordered storage sheds for each school to accumulate recyclables for delivery to the recycling center.

Muncy thanked the conservation district, school system and each school for their cooperation.

She also recognized local businesses that have been participating in a pilot project by collecting their cardboard for the recycling center. They are Subway in Hyden, the Medicine Shoppe, Family Dollar Store, Hardee’s of Hyden, Pennington Tire and Mosley Auto Parts.

All local businesses are now invited to join the cardboard recycling program.

The center was made possible by an $88,504 grant from the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet’s Division of Waste Management. With the grant, awarded in June, the county bought a baler, portable truck ramp, two recycling trailers, pallet truck and skid steer.

When collecting items to drop off at the recycling center, keep in mind these tips. To find out if your plastic item is #1 or #2, look on it for a triangle with a number inside. Examples of #1 and #2 plastics are soft drink bottles, water bottles, milk jugs, detergent bottles and bleach bottles. Please keep your paper and cardboard dry. Please rinse out cans and bottles and remove lids from steel cans.

The first 25 people to bring recyclables to the new center will receive labels to turn any container into a recycling bin, courtesy of PRIDE.

Learn more about why and how to recycle at PRIDE’s recycling web site, www.kypride.org/?p=985.

###

Filed under: Headlines, News