EcoEKY: Green News from Eastern Kentucky

from the London Sentinel-Echo:

City may take over recycling

By Tara Kaprowy
Staff Writer

Published: April 03, 2008 10:05 pm

Laurel County’s recycling center is facing major changes, ones that would greatly expand the program and put it in the hands of the city.

The city and county are jointly applying for a grant in the amount of more than $300,000. That money would be used to buy recycling equipment — a compacter, can densifier, glass pulverizer, shredder — that would make the program far less labor intensive.

London Public Works Director Steve Edge would be at the helm of the program. He is passionate about recycling and improving the system.

“This is something that’s good to do and in the future it’s something we’re going to need to do,” he said.

Edge has big goals for the program.

“We’re shooting for a 20 to 25 percent reduction of what people bring to the landfill in the first year,” he said.

Edge’s ultimate goal is to cut the amount of trash that goes to the landfill by 75 percent.

“My long-term goal is to recycle anything that can be recycled,” he said. “It can happen. It’s already being done in other cities.”

Edge also sees curbside recycling — meaning it would be picked up at people’s homes — in London’s future.

“Within three to five years, you’ll see curbside recycling in London,” he said.

If the grant is awarded, the recycling center will be moved from its McWhorter Street location to the transfer station on KY 192 near TLC Lane. In terms of expanding the program, Edge would eventually like to be able to recycle electronics, such as computers and TVs, as well as batteries and paint.

Edge also plans to get Laurel County schools recycling, and have trailers parked on-site.

Under the terms of the agreement, the city would “do the recycling and offer recycling countywide,” Edge explained. The grant application had to be submitted to the Kentucky Division of Solid Waste April 1. Edge estimated he would hear if it had been awarded to Laurel County in 30 to 45 days.

Edge feels London and Laurel County have a good chance of getting the grant. He said the city and county applied for the grant separately last year and were both denied.

“We were denied because it wasn’t a joint venture,” he said.

Now the city and county are both on board, and Rockcastle County has agreed to bring their recyclables to Laurel County to have them processed.

Getting more counties on board is Edge’s goal.

“We’d like to make this a regional center,” he said. “We’ve talked to Clay and Jackson counties as well. We’re looking to help the region instead of just this immediate area.”



Staff writer Tara Kaprowy can be reached by e-mail at tkaprowy@sentinel-echo.com.