EcoEKY: Green News from Eastern Kentucky

From the Corbin Times Tribune website:

London offers locals recycling alternative

Published: April 02, 2008 10:33 am

By Brad Hicks / Staff Writer

Laurel County residents who are looking to unload some old electronic devices they may have discovered after spring cleaning are encouraged to recycle them instead of tossing them out.

London Downtown Director Sherri Mosley said Laurel County residents can drop off cellular phones, laptop computers and used printer cartridges at her office in the London Community Center.

“We can only take those three items,” she said.

Last year, London Downtown joined with the America in Bloom Program, which assists towns looking to become “garden cities.”

“Since that’s what we’re trying to become, we figured we’d join that,” Mosley said.

America in Bloom sent two judges who advised London Downtown of the areas that needed work in the town. The judges mentioned that more environmental needs should be addressed.

The electronic items have to be sent off to companies for recycling, however these companies pay for the items sent. Funds raised from the recycling efforts would go toward funding a London Downtown environmental committee.

Currently, the recycling center located in London is not able to take electronic devices, referred to as “e-waste,” for recycling, but Mosley said Laurel Countians should look for that to change soon.

“In the near future, e-waste will be part of our recycling program,” she said.

She also said within a couple of weeks, 10 businesses in London would be named as pilot recycling businesses. Mosley said these are businesses looking to “go green.” Once the representatives of these businesses are educated on the recycling process and are set up, their progress will be monitored for one year.

The prospect of recycling, Mosley said, can be overwhelming, but she feels more people are looking to recycle, and continued education efforts will assist with that.

“People in general want to recycle, they really do,” she said. “They just don’t know how to go about it. We’re here to educate them on the first steps.”