Earth Day And Recycling 101

- a guest article by Shawn Baldwin

With its pastures, fields, hillsides and woods, West Kentucky is truly a green place to live. The good news, though, is that it is getting greener:  More people are recycling and more opportunities to recycle are becoming available.

If you’d like to become one of the growing number of green people living in this green area of the country, here are some things to know:

What To Recycle

• Paper (any color, paperboard, envelopes, newspapers, magazines, books)
• Cardboard
• Aluminum cans (rinsed)
• Metal cans
• Glass bottles and jars (rinsed without lids; put lids in with metal)
• Plastic (except Styrofoam; rinsed with caps removed)
• E-scrap (computers, monitors, cell phones, household electronics except for kitchen appliances or AC units; all batteries and ink/toner cartridges)
• TVs (some places charge a disposal fee, however)
• Scrap metal

Not trash, dirty items, items with food on them, or waxed paperboard (like milk cartons).

How To Recycle

1.  Find a spot in your house for the recycling

A good location is a place that has enough room to hold containers and is convenient enough that you will use it on a regular basis.  A garage or floor of a pantry might work. Also, you can put a decorative trash can or basket in your bedrooms, home office, or kitchen to catch things until you can empty them into your main containers.

2.  Get containers

It’s best to put items in containers in which you can recycle them.  Here are some suggestions:

• Plastic—plastic trash bags
• Glass, steel cans, aluminum cans—small plastic grocery bags
• Paper, paper board and cardboard—paper grocery bags

Put your containers in your chosen spot.

3.  Fill the containers

Paper can go in as it is. You can even leave staples in documents.  Break down cardboard and paperboard boxes so they will lie flat.  Rinse and shake out glass jars, plastic containers, aluminum cans, and steel cans.  They don’t have to be completely dry.  Cut paper labels off glass, plastic and steel containers if possible, and put the labels in paper recycling.  If the labels are glued all the way around, don’t bother removing them.

Where To Recycle

As of right now, there are three main locations in the Jackson Purchase area to recycle that we are aware of. If you know of others that you would like to have listed, please contact us at ashley@helloky.com.

Please note that not all centers take all the possible materials.  Mayfield takes paper, cardboard, plastic and aluminum cans.  Paducah takes those items plus steel cans, glass, and electronic scrap.  Murray takes paper, cardboard and aluminum and metal cans.

Mayfield Public Works
1101 Old Pryorsburg Road
Mayfield KY
(270) 247-0067
Mon-Fri, 8am - 4pm

Greater Paducah Sustainability Project Recycle Now
1830 North Eighth Street
Paducah KY
(270) 556-2207
www.jpf.org/recyclenow.htm
Tue-Fri, 7:30am - 4:30pm / Sat 8am - 12 noon

Murray Sanitation Department
Andrus Drive
Murray KY
(270) 762-0380

Murray also offers regular "Make A Difference Days" held in the parking lot of Roy Stewart Stadium. "The Make A Difference Days" are usually held 3 or 4 times a year on Saturday mornings from 9am - 1pm.  Please contact the Sanitation Department for more information at (270) 762-0380, or check the City Calendar for the next scheduled Make A Difference Day.

Secondary contact: Bill Wells at (270) 759-1918

Make A Difference Day Recyclable Items

(Will vary each time)

• Eyeglasses
• Plastic containers
• Inkjet printer cartridges
• Glass
• Newspaper (bundled)
• Magazines
• Cardboard
• Books (remove and dispose hardcover)
• Other paper
• Cell phones
• Clothes
• Aluminum Cans
• Tin Cans
• Used Motor Oil

Do you have any extra information that you'd like to share with us?  Send an email to ashley@helloky.com

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