(Watertown, NY- July 2013) Tri-County residents will have a new recycling option while attending or hosting events in the North Country thanks to a grant aimed at increasing recycling of cans and bottles.
Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Association of Jefferson County in partnership with the Development Authority of the North Country (The Authority) secured 25 large plastic recycling bins thanks to a grant by the national recycling group Keep America Beautiful and the Coca Cola Company.
Cans and bottles make up a large volume of the solid waste at public events. Sayre Stevens, recycling and solid waste educator at CCE of Jefferson County, says that the large recycling bins should reduce the amount of recycling waste that is thrown into The Authority’s Solid Waste Management Facility in Rodman, NY while making it easier for event organizers and attendees to recycle.
“People in our area are familiar with recycling in their homes, but would like to see more recycling in public. Public events generate a large amount of cans and bottles that can be easily recycled if there is a simple collection system for them. By placing a recycling bin next to each garbage can, it makes recycling very easy for everyone,” said Stevens.
The bins are made available, free of charge, to community organizations and other groups organizing community public events on a first come first served basis. A deposit of $10 is required for each bin, which will be refunded upon return of the bins providing they are clean and not damaged.
The first event in Watertown that utilized the recycling bins was the Jefferson County Fair. The bins were placed throughout the event next to the garbage receptacles with the hope that fair goers would recycle their cans and bottles. Stevens says that the bins were received well and approximately 2,800 cans and bottles were collected throughout the week.
“Three 4-H youth development clubs; the 4-H Warriors, Freedom Riders and Country Critters were in charge of maintaining the recycling bins and collecting the cans and bottles at the Jefferson County Fair. The 4-H youth know that recycling is a part of being a responsible member of our community. They will use the proceeds from the deposits to buy materials or go on field trips,” said Stevens.
For more information contact Sayre Stevens by calling 315-788-8450.