By Kathryn Kennedy
The Daily Reflector
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Greenville citizens recycled 10.4 percent more waste between January and April this year than they did during the same period last year, a news release said Wednesday.
City officials attribute the increase to a new campaign launched last November.
National entities Curbside Value Partnership and Keep America Beautiful paid to develop a creative marketing campaign to encourage Greenville residents to recycle. The city and nonprofit entity Keep Greenville Beautiful put that plan in place, which included advertising in local media outlets, direct mailers and utility bills and producing “Green-er-ville” stickers.
More than 1,000 tons of recyclable materials were collected during the first four months of the year, though Public Works Director Wes Anderson said there’s no way to know for sure if more residents are participating. The materials are evaluated by tonnage, so it could be primarily the same users recycling more waste.
“I know on some of our recycling routes now, there are more people out there,” he added. “It’s taking us longer to pick up.”
Anderson said Public Works has asked the City Council to continue funding marketing efforts in the next year at the estimated cost of $40,000 per six months.
The department also requests money be allocated for another three-man crew and a truck to ensure staff can complete all necessary recycling routes by the end of each day.
“Our hope is that the residents of Greenville sustain the momentum, continue to be diligent recyclers and even take their recycling efforts to the next level,” Curbside Value Partnership Director Steve Thompson said in the release.
More information is available at a new city web page, www.RecycleMoreGreenville.org.
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